


The Guardian Angel of the Sand Village

by CultMother



Category: Naruto
Genre: Character Death, Child Death, Cute, Dark, Darkness, Death, F/M, Long, Major Original Character(s), Manga & Anime, Multi, Obsession, Obsessive Love, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-03 04:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 114,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10236014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CultMother/pseuds/CultMother
Summary: *Warning,* EXTREMELY LONG.I warned you.Warning: LONG AS SH*T. Will probably be the LONGEST Naruto fanfic out there when I'm done.I WARNED YOU TWICEA girl from a twisted fairytale returns to the sand village with two consorts after being kidnapped.The boy from her childhood, the young bright boy who smiled and laughed and played with her, was no longer there.All that was in his eyes was an unfamiliar coldness.Did he even care?





	1. Reunited with the Past

**Author's Note:**

> She took a deep breath, inhaling the air she had missed so dearly. The warmth of the sun kissed her skin, and she felt as if she could fly.
> 
> She was free and her chains were broken. Home was waiting for her and home was where she needed to go.
> 
> However, first, she'd need to get allies. She was lacking protection, something she needed desperately.
> 
> Little did she know, freedom was only an illusion. Destiny didn't falter. Fate didn't just disappear.
> 
> She'd learn that a little too late.

Three figures entered the Village Hidden in the Sand. It was a crisp, cold morning despite the heat of the desert and a mist settled over the village that seemed to never end. A figure stood on a rooftop, a look in his eyes that would scare anyone away.

He wondered who could possibly be entering the village at this hour, and prepared to strike. Sand flowed around him. Surely nobody would mind, or care. His hand twisted and he aimed the sand for them, but something caused him to pause.

Someone in a familiar outfit walked towards the team of three; they must have been Orochimaru's envoys, here to make any last-minute changes to the plan for the destruction of the Village Hidden in the Leaf.

The frontal figure gave a very discreet signal to the others.

The Kazekage led them to the very center of the town, and the lone boy stalked them, remaining on the rooftops. It was where his home was that they entered; he silently put two fingers to his lips, and he burst into sand. The sand flowed to a window, where he reformed beside the ledge.

All he had to do now was wait.

As he heard the door open, he put two fingers over his eye and a third eye made of sand appeared in front of the window.

A woman in a cloak stood in front of the Kazekage; she wasn't even a woman. To be honest, due to her height, she had to be about his age.

And then she spoke, which caused him to fracture, to stumble. He wasn't expecting this. His sand protected him from many things, but never this.

"I know my return is shocking, to say the most." It was her voice. The one that abandoned him. The one that ran, the one that disappeared. Confusion and anger were only two of the emotions he was feeling. Rage might be the borderline third.

"It's certainly unexpected. You disappeared without a trace, and your mother had been extremely worried. She'd searched for you for years, but..." The Kazekage trailed off, and the boy outside the window sneered inwardly. That was his father, the Kazekage.

"Sansa... How is poor Sansa? She certainly must have been devastated when I didn't return home after..." She was reluctant to repeat what happened on that day. She must have thought it was disgusting. She must have been afraid. Rage boiled in the boy's veins. She was the same as the rest. She never cared.

"Sansa is alright. She has a certain fire to her, a fire that's allowed her to live on." The Kazekage's voice was sullen, unempathetic. The boy outside wanted nothing more than bloodshed. However, he had been watching Sansa; closely, as to make sure she wouldn't disappear. He hadn't talked to her since.

"Then I'd better see her after I'm done here." The girl said. There was an unsettling silence among them, and the boy's third eye was mainly focused on the girl.

"Where have you been for the past six years?" Finally, the winning question. The one everyone in attendance had on their minds. "He's... twelve now, you know." The Kazekage finally showed emotion in his voice, but it was hesitant. The boy knew it was hatred.

"I was kidnapped," She said. Her voice was clear and resolute. She wasn't lying, but he still didn't trust that. He continued to listen on to the conversation. "I was kidnapped by a certain person who made me into a science experiment. I escaped, met two people who had... strange circumstances alike to me, and I made a team of three Shinobi to compensate for my shortcomings and inability to be here. But the more important question is, how is he doing? You know...Gaara." Gaara winced. It had been so long since he had heard his name spoken by someone other than his siblings, and in a way other than fear. He felt hurt, but he erased that emotion as soon as it came. He didn't need that type of emotion, not anymore.

"This will be difficult for you to hear, but... after the Shukaku went rampant, his uncle died and you disappeared. He couldn't take it. He gave up fighting the Shukaku's evil and succumbed to the nightmares. He snapped. He's no longer manageable and has an insatiable bloodlust." The Kazekage was making a summary of his son's life without batting an eye. The words cut deep and made Gaara angrier.

"No..." Her words were a barely audible whisper; Gaara heard her distress, but he didn't understand. He was incapable of understanding.

"I understand that you cared about him once in your life, but he's no longer the Gaara you knew. I suggest you avoid him, at all costs." The Kazekage's sugar-coated voice infuriated Gaara. His father was telling this girl to stay away from him, for her sake.

"I refuse. I would like to see him...please." The girl's voice was insistent, unrelenting. Gaara didn't understand. He couldn't. The confusion angered him.

"Please reconsider. Kankuro and Temari would be more than happy to talk to you." The Kazekage attempted, trying to change her mind.

"While talking to Kankuro and Temari are on my list next to Sansa, the very first person I'd like to see other than you is Gaara. Please, I insist." She remained calm and in charge, her plea sounding more like an order.

"I was a fool to think you'd listen to reason. You're just like your mother." The Kazekage sighed. "His room is in the exact same place as it's been all this time. Be careful, I'm positive he won't react well when he sees you."

"It will be fine. Gaara is sure to forgive me... I know him." Gaara watched with his third eye as the cloaked figure exited the room, shutting the door carefully behind her.

In the room, alone, only Gaara heard what the Kazekage said next. "You know only of the Gaara of the past, Rena. The Gaara now is a monster."

Gaara couldn't stand staying near his father for a minute more, and disappeared into the night.

His father turned to the window, sighing. "I've made a mess of your life, haven't I...?"

**~**

Rena stood in front of the door to Gaara's bedroom, emotions flooding through her. She was about to see him again. It had been six years. She rose her hand and gave three solid knocks. "Gaara?"

The door swung open, and although she recognized the boy who opened the door, she knew he was a completely different person than the once she had known.

His red hair shifted along with his eyes, as they flicked to her face. The shine in them had been beaten out of him. His mouth was a completely straight line as if he had no emotion whatsoever to be found there. It stayed shut. Black circles around his eyes, which were worse than when they were children, indicated a lack of sleep.

Rena wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go, but due to the situation, that would be quite impolite and unwelcome. She restrained herself. They were older now, and it could wait. "May I come in, Gaara?"

He said nothing, and only stared at her. However, after a second of taking in her face, he moved to the side and waited silently. She entered the room, and he closed the door behind her. Small specks of sand floated around him. He was wearing his plain black shirt with his netting underneath and black pants.

She sat on his bed, and he stared at her. It was almost unsettling, how silent he was.

"So, Gaara, it's been a while." She started. 'A while' was an understatement. Gaara continued to stare, his eyes locked onto her face. "How have you been?" She asked, attempting to start a conversation.

"....Different," He replied. A one-word response was not what Rena had expected, but she'd have to make-do with what he gave her.

This was definitely not the Gaara she once knew, however. The Kazekage had been correct about that. He seemed much lonelier than when she had been kidnapped. No doubt he was hurting, and Rena had to make it up to him.

He sat beside her quietly, and she reached her hand over in an attempt to comfort him, but he jerked his away. "Don't touch me, woman." He glared at her menacingly, mustering all his strength to overcome his shock. He never expected her to try and touch him. She was much different than he remembered.

Rena had grown. Her purple hair still reached her ankles, but her eyes were much duller. In them, sparks of hope still remained, but they were small. Her eyes had grown to be a bolder purple than the lilac in their childhood, and Gaara realized she was still growing. Her body began to curve; in two or three years, her body would be alike to a model's. She wore black shorts that clung to her body and went down to her knees, with a turquoise shirt that was cut off at the top. Her cloak was pushed back behind her shoulder blades to reveal her body, and that surprised him.

"Should I...leave, Gaara?" Rena asked, a tinge of sadness in her voice. He hated that. He didn't know why, but he hated that.

"It's two in the morning," He said, finally more than one word. "You'll disturb Sansa, should you go home now." His reaction was quick and precise. He knew that she wouldn't want to wake Sansa.

"I guess you're right..." Rena mused, almost getting lost in thought. "Maybe I should sleep in an inn."

He had to stop her. If he let her leave, he would never be able to do this again. She wouldn't come back. "You should stay the night here," He suggested.

"I'm sure that would be much too imposing on the Kazekage."

"He doesn't have to know." Gaara walked to his closet and got out a futon, laying it down on the floor. "Take my bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

"But, you might get a cold. It's quite drafty..." He hated the worry in her voice. Didn't she know caring for others made you weak? That's why he had to do this. To... to stop her from being weak. To make her stronger. He didn't care, and she shouldn't, either.

"Worry about yourself, not me." He turned off the light and got into the futon. "Night."

Rena laid on his bed, staring at the mess of red hair that was hidden under the blankets. "You have insomnia, right, Gaara? I know that it's probably worse than... a long time ago. Would you like me to sing for you?"

With no response, she assumed he wouldn't mind. It seemed like he was sleeping, but the flow of his chakra said otherwise.

His eyes were wide open; he couldn't sleep, and although he didn't enjoy the sound of her voice, there wasn't much of an option. His third eye was watching her every move. He couldn't stop.

"Roses, and daisies, and violets and charms, only one of these things means you much harm, beauty can come and go but duty cannot, hopefuls that feel so very lost, we all know the very great cost, of things like roses, they owe us a lot. Thorns and branches and summer spirits too, don't you know I love you?" The song was one she had created for Gaara when they were children. The very next day, she found a rose on her doorstep without much explanation. Every morning, she'd wake up to a single rose. Soon Sansa's house was filled with them and their scent, but Sansa didn't mind.

Gaara's chakra had settled down, rather than being static and jumpy like before. His steady, rhythmic breathing calmed Rena's nerves and eventually lulled her to sleep.

**~**

When Rena awoke from her sleep, it was 9:30. Gaara was gone, the futon was packed up, and her blanket had been changed to a considerably lighter one. A good thing, too, because the heat in the desert would have baked her alive.

After making Gaara's bed, which Rena assumed he didn't do often... well, since it was Gaara, maybe he did it a lot. He just didn't seem like the 'neat freak' type, and his room really was empty. Something caught her attention.

On Gaara's nightstand, there was a tray with food on it and a note that read, 'See you later.'

Three words but they were more than Rena could have asked for. This note proved Gaara was, at least, okay. Just okay, but she still wanted to help him in some way.

Rena quickly finished off the food Gaara had left for her, and picked up the tray, leaving his room and wandering around the Kazekage's home, taking it all in. She was finally back in the Village Hidden in the Sand.

As she turned the corner, she ended up bumping into someone.

"Hey...! Watch where the hell you're going, you..." A slightly familiar tone with a snarky, egotistical voice filled Rena's ears. "It's....you! Rena!"

"Hello, strange cat-boy," Rena said, referring to the boy's hat. It was a very cute hat, too.

"Rena, It's me, Kankuro! I grew taller since we last met. Come on, you can't tell me that you don't recognize me!" He pointed to himself, giving a large grin. Realization dawned on Rena, and she almost dropped her tray.

"Kankuro?! You're huge now! Taller than me... wow, I thought I'd never see the day!" Rena stared intensely at Kankuro, and he stared back. Emotions mingled in his eyes, and even though he didn't know what had happened to the girl he once knew, all that mattered was that she was back.

"Look who's short now, Rena. I can tease you all I want, and there's nobody here to stop me!" Kankuro had already begun to tease her; he laughed evilly.

"Except for me, brother." Kankuro stopped, turning his head over to where his sister stood. Her voice was like the sound of nails on a chalkboard. Temari. To him, her voice sounded like a thousand needles shattering.

"Temari! There's no way I couldn't recognize you!" Rena embraced Temari in a hug, tightly, and Temari did the same. Even if she wasn't fond of physical contact, this was a special occasion to Temari. It made her feel like this was the past, where nothing was wrong, where nothing was complicated. But things had always been complicated, hadn't they?

"Hey, how could you recognize Temari, but not me?!" Kankuro said, sounding insulted. "And where's my hug?" He was whining with that high-pitched girly whine of his that he used when they were children.

"Still the same as ever, I see." Rena chuckled, and Temari did the same. Kankuro looked at them, annoyed that they were ganging up on him.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Argh, nevermind. Just c'mere, you!" Kankuro scooped Rena up in a bear hug.

An ice cold voice filled all of their ears and almost made the hallway freeze over. Piercing eyes watched the heart-warming scene with disgust. "Why wasn't I invited to this loving reunion?"

Temari and Kankuro froze in terror. Temari was the first to speak. "G-Gaara, we didn't mean to leave you out of anything, we just..."

Gaara's eyes shot towards Temari. His aura was completely different from last night's. He leaned against a wall, in a seemingly relaxed position, but the air was tense. His chakra was high-strung and angry. "And you." His eyes switched to Rena. "Who said you were allowed to make this much noise?"

Rena's shock was unending. The Gaara from last night was gone, replaced by a cold and cruel beast. She could feel the air around her freeze. His eyes blazed into Rena, making her feel uncomfortable. She had risked everything to get back to him, to see him again. But he was a different person, a stranger.

"Gaara, I apologize for-"

"Kankuro, Temari, let's go. It's time to train."

He had ignored her entirely. Acted as if she wasn't there, as if she didn't exist, and it hurt. Gaara signaled his siblings, and they followed reluctantly.

"Training for what?" She asked nobody in particular. Gaara didn't even look at her twice. It was Kankuro who turned around.

"The Chuunin exams in the Village Hidden in the Leaf! Me, Gaara and Temari are entering as a team. We qualified!" Kankuro gave Rena a rugged smile, then turned around and ran a short burst forward in an attempt to catch up to Temari's pace.

"Let's go." Gaara's voice was ice cold once more, and both siblings followed silently. Rena watched as they disappeared beyond the corner.

Rena made up her mind, which meant there was no going back. She broke out into a run and ran into the Kazekage's office. She slammed her hands down on his desk, putting on her scariest face. The Kazekage jumped. "R...Rena, what's wrong?" He stuttered. He wasn't on guard, so he didn't expect Rena. He made a mental note that he needed to be more alert.

"I want to be qualified for the Chuunin exams!" Rena yelled.

"Please lower your voice. And-"

"Chuunin exams!" Rena screamed. She wasn't lowering her voice.

"You can't just... we're sending Gaara's team for a reason, and-" The Kazekage attempted to cool the situation down before it got any more heat.

"Chuunin exams!" Rena screeched, probably alerting half of the ninjas in the Village. If someone had been sleeping, they weren't now.

Gaara turned around and stared at the building he had just left; was it just him, or was that screech real? He hoped he wasn't hearing her voice now. The looks on his siblings' faces confirmed that he wasn't the only one hearing it.

"Fine, damn it! Anything if you'll just stop!" The Kazekage's shout came from above and anyone who was walking looked up. It was rare to hear the Kazekage shout.

"Very well. If you insist, Sir!" Rena was chipper and polite, acting as if the Kazekage himself had suggested it. What nerve. "My ninja team is simple; their names are Cheshire and Marionetta. That's Manipulative Marionetta. Cheshire's last name is Cat, but he prefers to go by Cheshire. Manipulative prefers her last name rather than her first." Rena's words came like a crushing torrent of knowledge, and the Kazekage had slight trouble swallowing all of the info. He wasn't used to Rena's fast pace; she was worse than Sansa.

"You have a cat as a partner?" The Kazekage asked, staring at Rena. "Summons don't count as team members."

"No, he's human. Well, slightly human. He has the tail and ears of a cat, along with sharpened fingernails to match. But he's pretty human. At least, I think." Rena shared the Kazekage's confusion. The Kazekage pulled a couple of cards out of a drawer, neatly writing down three names.

"These cards will allow you to walk around Konoha freely without question. It also shows you are qualified to enter the Chuunin exams. You'll be leaving the village tomorrow." He handed them to Rena reluctantly, sighing.

"Thanks, Kazekage!" Rena winked.

"You don't even realize what you're getting yourself into." The Kazekage shook his head, but the slamming of a door proved that she had not heard him.

**~**

Rena walked towards the Sand Village's training area. It was completely clear of ninja for the Chuunin training, save for three familiar ninjas and a couple of Jonin that helped them.

"Hey~o!" Rena waved, causing a distraction from the training.

"Rena, what are you doing here? This place is closed for Chuunin exams." Temari closed her fan, staring at Rena. "It's a danger zone!"

Rena stepped towards the targets and walked towards Temari. She threw a shuriken without looking, a thud signaling it hit the mark. She continued to walk in Temari's direction, the shurikens hitting the bullseye each time. She stopped at the end and quickly whirled around, throwing a kunai that shot through each shuriken hole, picking them up as it flew across the field. It hit the bullseye of another target, the shurikens clinging and rattling as it hit the angry red mark.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle whatever comes my way so far," Rena smirked, confidence pouring off her almost sinfully. She wasn't full of herself, but she was confident. Gaara ignored her, and he refused to look at her or stop training. Rena turned to one of the hooded figures that stepped out of the shadows. "Cheshire, front and center. Let's go." The change in her tone proved she was a good leader; her voice was commanding and firm. All silliness had washed out of her voice in an instant.

The figure ripped off the cloak, revealing a 12-year-old boy with black cat ears, hair, and a tail. His hair was short, and he mostly wore netting and bandages. He sped into the training field, his speed above average. He dug his nails into the ground, stopping himself from sliding and positioning himself across from Rena. At this point, Kankuro had stopped training to watch.

"Attack me," Rena ordered.

"On it." Cheshire sprinted forwards. He slashed diagonally at her, but there was no sound of flesh ripping open. In fact, he tilted forwards. Rena had smoothly dodged out of the way, but if she had been there seconds before, it would have hit home.

She pushed Cheshire from behind, and he fell face-first to the ground. Rena had gotten behind him in three steps; one step to the side, one step forwards, and one step behind Cheshire.

"Too slow. You need to work on balance and recovery, and also how to pinpoint fatal areas; if I were an untrained enemy, you would have barely grazed me. You have speed, you just need...oomph." Rena gave him a look of sheer disappointment. "Sloppy, sloppy. If I were a trained enemy, you'd be dead by now."

Chesire groaned. "I'm not speedy. I like being a heavy hitter. I'd rather move slow with large defenses than move fast!"

Gaara had stopped to watch the show. Whatever they were doing, it had to be a joke. Surely she didn't intend on entering the Chuunin exams with someone as weak as that... it would be a burden.

"Marionetta! Wanna show Cheshire how it's done?" She nodded to the other cloaked figure, whose cloak literally floated off her; it was a beautiful girl with the skin of a porcelain doll. Her blonde pigtails reached to the floor, and she was wearing some type of western black Lolita dress. There were see-through black fairy wings at the black.

"Yes, Rena." She was a haunting image; her voice was void of emotion, and her face was blank. She disappeared and reappeared on the side of the field Cheshire had been on. She was much faster than him.

"Attack me," Rena ordered.

As soon as she said that, Marionetta launched herself at Rena, high-speed. "Puppet dance." With those words, strings of chakra extended from Marionetta's fingertips, and in a sandstorm that left as quickly as it came 50 puppets appeared at different locations of the field. The puppets began to spin around Rena, pelting her with thousands of shuriken and kunai from all directions. Gaara watched the giant cloud of dust that came from the impact of the weapons hitting the ground at a violent speed grow larger.

From the dust cloud, Rena's voice rang out clearly. "Wind Style: Raging Wind Current!" A large bubble of wind burst, sending the shurikens flying back to the puppets they came from; the problem with having many targets was that they were always easy to hit.

Rena burst through the cloud of dust, dashing forwards. She flipped a kunai around in her hand, preparing to strike Marionetta. Puppets flew at Rena, but she pushed upwards, flying over their heads. She flew past Marionetta and dug her heels into the ground, launching forwards once more and holding the kunai against Marionetta's throat. "Game set and match!~" Rena sang, happily.

Marionetta slowly got on the ground, lying on her back. "Oh, no. I am defeated. Someone save me." Her voice still had no emotion. Many of the Jonins laughed at this. Cheshire charged in.

"I'll save you, Marionetta!" He cried, rushing towards Rena. Rena disappeared from his line of view and remembering what had happened last time, he whirled around and his fingernails dug into her clothing and skin, ripping through both.

"Agh, I'm down!" Rena fell to her knees. "You have won, this time, Cheshire, but next time, I shall bring an army to destroy you!" She was pretending to be the villain, so she shook her fist.

Cheshire picked up Marionetta, bridal-style. "I've got you, princess Marionetta! As for you, Evil Lord Rena, I shall wipe your army off the face of the world, so bring it!" He began running in a random direction.

"I am saved. Thank you, brave knight. You shall have all the gold in the treasury." Marionetta's empty voice made this scene all the more hilarious. The Jonins, Kankuro, and Temari all clapped.

"Good show, good show!" Kankuro yelled.

"This isn't a stage for a play." Gaara walked towards Rena, obviously angered by the lack of training going on. "Go away. There are people attempting to train here." He wondered why she was being so annoying and distracting.

"You don't own these training fields, Gaara."

"Technically, my family does." His tone was gradually growing colder.

"Then fight me."

"Excuse me?"

"Fight me for the fields," Rena said.

She strutted to the spot where the Jonin was fighting against Gaara. The Jonin stepped aside. Gaara never let anyone within range of him, so it would be a difficult battle.

Sand swirled in the air around Gaara, and without any warning, lashed out at Rena. He stood, stoically. She jumped in the air, doing a backward flip. She landed on the far right side of the training field and slid, the sand going after her and missing her each time. She quickly recovered her footing but Gaara's sand was faster and had wrapped around her ankles.

"Sand Coffin." The sand made a tight prison; Rena was entirely cased in sand. Now, all Gaara had to do was bury her. He raised his hand and opened his mouth to give the command, but something stopped him. His fingers twitched.

The sand withdrew from her leg and swirled back into his gourd.

"I forfeit. Do as you see fit with the field; we'll continue to practice without complaint." The words flowed out of his mouth without his okay; he questioned why he would do such a thing for this girl. Gaara walked to the unoccupied part of the field, and the Jonins seemed just as confused as he was. He never spared people. He always went through with it.

Practice continued.

**~**

"The Chuunin exams will be quite difficult. I, however, am sure that Team Jumping Scorpion and the Sand Siblings will pass." The Kazekage's speech was reaching the final part. "We are here to honor their journey, and we hope all of them return safely with the title of Chuunin!" The Kazekage gave a nod. "First team, the leader of team Jumping Scorpion, Rena Hikari!" As he announced her name, Rena stepped up. The cheers were loud. Since Rena had forgotten to visit Sansa, Sans was shocked. She froze with excitement, then cheered at the top of her lungs. Rena would be getting it when she returned...

"I understand that I haven't been here. I was taken, against my will. My hope is that those I left behind will be able to forgive my absence." Rena began her speech, her voice and heart heavy with sorrows. "But here, I vow! I will not stop until I become a Chuunin! I shall return victorious!" Viciously loud cheers erupted from the people of the sand.

"And now, a word from the leader of the Sand Siblings, Gaara." The crowd went silent, and Rena could only see an ocean of glares of fear and hatred.

"We will succeed," Gaara said, and walked away. Someone then spoke up.

"Good luck, Kankuro and Temari!"

There was no mention of Gaara! Rena would not accept that. As he moved to step off the stage, Rena blocked him with an arm.

"You really don't want to do that," Gaara said, in a quiet voice. His glare was apparent, and gasps came from the crowd.

"Good luck, Gaara. I believe in you." Gaara's eyes were plastered wide open. He'd never heard those words before. The crowd, horrified, didn't know what to think. "Please, beat the Chuunin exams! I'll be cheering for you the entire way." Rena bowed formally and rushed back to her team. Gaara was frozen, staring at the ground.

Good luck, Gaara. I believe in you.

He would hold those words. If not to his heart, to his mind. To his sanity. They meant something to him, and he couldn't understand why.

I believe in you.

He would not forget those words.

As they were exiting the village, there was a hint of a smile on Gaara's face, only for a second.

Rena ran ahead of the small group of Sand genin who were also going to the Village Hidden in the Leaf.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Three days of walking?! I'll go insane!"

"At least we can go insane together!" Kankuro jested, grinning. He hoisted the container his puppet was in over his shoulder further.

Rena chuckled. "Yep. And when we get there, I'm totally running to the first desserts shop I see."

"Pft. Bet I can beat you there." Kankuro was being his confident self again.

"Aren't you lactose intolerant?"

"No way in hell! I'd die a painful death without milk."

"Sounds lovely."

Rena turned to Temari, prepared to start a conversation with her. "So, Temari, have any special guy yet?" Rena asked. Gaara ignored this. Girls, relationships, love. None of it mattered.

"Well, there are quite a few suitors, but they're all annoying or inadequate." Temari shrugged. "How about you?"

At this point, Gaara and Kankuro were as close to the girls as possible, listening in. They were both interested in this information. Both girls turned around. Gaara pretended to be interested in a particular rock while Kankuro seemed to be carving something out of a small branch.

"Well, there is this one guy, but I doubt he feels the same."

Gaara's heart felt like he had dropped it. Why was he disappointed?

Kankuro's heart, however, began to race. He had felt the exact same way, ever since they were kids. She'd been someone important ever since.

Temari laughed. "Hey, maybe I can help! What's his name? I'll set up one of those blind date things."

Rena knew Temari had no interest in guys and dating. She was more of a tomboy than a girly girl, and Rena liked her better that way. Any interest she held now was because she enjoyed helping people out.

"It's fine. It's more than enough to see him alive, honestly. Even if I can never have my feelings returned, as long as he can exist... I'd honestly prefer that he'd smile more, though. He had the most amazing smile when we were kids."

Kankuro turned bright red. Gaara was emotionless.

Kankuro thought about how sweet she was, sweeter than any of the sweets she consumed. Maybe it was because she ate so many sweet things that she was sweet.

Gaara was upset. She was being sick; talking about whoever the person was like they were some sort of angel or savior. They were most likely someone cruel; she was going to get herself hurt. If he found out who it was, he would dispatch them with haste.

It took them a day, but they finally reached the border between Konoha's land and the Sand's.

Through the forest, while Rena was walking, she attempted to get closer to Gaara. She moved from beside Marionetta and towards Gaara. Kankuro attempted to get closer, but Marionetta cut him off.

"Do you like cats?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

"Neko hood." Marionetta reached up, touching his hood. Kankuro was consumed by the conversation about cats while Rena attempted to start a conversation with Gaara.

"Hey, Gaara." Gaara ignored her. "Gaara, talk to me."

"Hello." A simple, short response.

"Are you excited for the Chuunin exams?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I have to do it, whether or not I want to. It's simply just something I'm doing. Why would I be excited about something like this?"

He was lying to her. He was excited. He was thirsting for it.

"Because we get to prove our skills."

They were excited about very different reasons. He was glad he didn't tell her that he wanted to kill everyone there. That he was excited because that's exactly what he was there to do.

"I don't need to prove anything to anyone." He murmured. He needed to stop talking to her. He didn't want to... Why did he not want to...?

"Yeah, but...." Rena said, but Gaara had quickened his pace and walked ahead of her. Kankuro had finally escaped Marionetta's endless cat quiz and caught up to Rena.

"Hey, Rena...about racing to the dessert shop, let's go together!" This was Kankuro's attempt at asking her out on a date.

"Oh, okay..." But Rena wasn't listening. She felt as far away from Gaara as ever. She wanted to be close to him once more.

"Yes!" Kankuro cheered. "My treat, I'll pay for everything." Kankuro was attempting to be a gentleman. He was pushed into a ditch by Marionetta.

"Your current emotion is sadness," Marionetta said, her empty voice filling the silence between them.

"Good job, lovely Marionetta. You are correct. This emotion is sadness."

"Why do drops of water fall from your eyes?" Marionetta asked.

Rena hadn't noticed, but she had been crying. She wiped away her tears. "Because it hurts."

"What does? I shall give you medical aid."

"Dearest Marionetta, you still have yet to understand what a heart is. The pain can't be fixed with medicine. The pain is on the inside, within me." Rena carefully explained to the emotionless girl, hoping she'd understand.

"So I cannot fix you?"

"This is something only I can fix."

"Then please, show me how you fix it. I shall fix it next time." She still didn't understand.

"You should hope there is no next time, lovely Marionetta." With that, Rena ran ahead, past Gaara. She didn't want to be staring at his back.

**Day 3**

Finally! They had reached Konoha's main road. They were five minutes away from the actual city, when...

"Rena."

Rena turned, shocked. This was the very first time Gaara had said anything to her of his own volition. "Um, yeah?"

"Come visit me tonight. The roof of the inn that we're booked in." With that, Gaara slowed his pace, falling behind once more.

Rena, unable to form words, was shocked when Kankuro grabbed her hands. "Look, there's Konoha's gate! Come on, Rena, the dessert is waiting!" Rena couldn't contain Kankuro's excitement as she was dragged into the city. She felt someone stare at her, and she looked back.

Gaara was giving her that piercing glare of his, his eyes as devoid of emotion as Marionetta's voice was. He wouldn't stop looking at her, and it almost made her feel guilty.


	2. Saved By The Sand

"Oh my god, this is amazing!" Rena exclaimed as she bit into a Daredevil-Triple-Choco-Fudge cake. Western food really was good!

"I agree, this really is good!" Kankuro was stuffing his face with more cake. It was a funny sight; there was vanilla cake coming out. Temari and Gaara had gone to check everyone into the Village; Kankuro and Rena were eating their cake in peace. Soon, they would have to search all over town to find both Gaara and Temari, though. Rena got up, having finished her slice of cake faster than a lightning bolt.

"I need to go! Gaara and Temari are most likely lost." She apologized fervently, and Kankuro nodded, urging her along. She ran out of the shop. Going around the corner, she ran straight into Gaara, falling over backwards. He was like a stone wall!

"..." He said nothing, staring down at her blankly. She got back up on her feet.

"You're lost, aren't you?" She asked, stifling her laughter. "You're really lost!"

"..." He continued to say nothing, locked in the process of thought. After a minute, he put aside his pride and nodded.

"You're adorable, Gaara!"

His blank face turned into an angry glare.

"Rena, Temari, Gaara!" Kankuro called, running out of the dessert shop. "Crap, if I make too much noise, it'll make the Sand Village look bad... I have to whisper!" He darted in the opposite direction, before Rena could call out for him to stop.

"Damn it! I forgot that Kankuro had the worst sense of direction out of all of you! I should've stayed with him." Rena stared, dumbfounded at the direction Kankuro had took off in.

"Let's follow him. Temari and Kankuro are like bloodhounds; they always manage to sniff each other out." Gaara started to walk in the direction he believed Kankuro to be, and Rena grabbed his hand, stopping him. He gave her one of his famous glares.

"Gaara, wait!" She pointed south. "That's the direction Kankuro went. You were going west."

Gaara's face was completely emotionless but the embarrassment was obvious. He quickly pivoted on his heel, turning south and walking as fast as he could. Rena had to run to catch up to him.

"Stop." Gaara flung out his arm, and Rena crashed into it, flipping onto her back.

"Wha...? Why?" She groaned, from the ground.

"Say sorry, punk." Kankuro's voice rang through a partly deserted alley. There were two little boys, a little girl, a pink-haired girl and a blonde haired guy that was their age or younger, while a black-haired guy was perched in a tree. They were all facing Temari, Kankuro, Marionetta and Cheshire.

"What are they...?" Rena asked, innocent as to what was going on. She then saw Kankuro pick up the little kid by his shirt collar, which filled her with rage. "What does he think he's doing?!"

"You ran into me. Now apologize." Kankuro growled.

"Stop. We're going to get scolded later." Temari said. The black-haired kid made himself known, throwing a rock at Kankuro and hitting his mark spot on.

"I have to stop him...!" Rena said, lurching forwards to step in.

"Wait." Gaara put his hand on her shoulder. The contact, for him, was surprisingly pleasant. She watched as Gaara slowly became sand and flowed to the tree, which he reformed in. "Kankuro. Stop." His voice came as a low tone, obviously filled with a malice Rena couldn't have put into words. "You're a disgrace to your village."

"What...?" The black-haired kid recoiled in shock, almost losing his footing. "I didn't even sense him.."

"G...Gaara.." Kankuro said, backing up a step. Rena could see and hear the fear in his voice.

"Did you forget the reason we came all the way here?" Gaara asked. The usual blank expression on his face became scarier for some reason to Rena; Gaara got worse as time went on.

"I...I know! They started it! They provoked us, see, here's what happened..."

Gaara's eyes narrowed, and Rena could tell he was annoyed. "Shut up... or I'll kill you."

The threat was completely uncalled for. Rena felt like this part of Gaara was one she'd never get used to; he had certainly changed, just as the Kazekage said he had. His eyes were no longer on the children or Kankuro, but her. They were watching her, seeing if she showed any fear. Was she afraid of him? Was she like everyone else?

He'd kill her, too...

"Right. I was totally out of line. I'm sorry, I was totally out of line... I'm sorry, Gaara. I'll get to the inn right away." Kankuro's voice was dripping with fear.

Gaara burst into sand, and in the blink of an eye, he was on the ground. He turned, halfway, to the genin of the leaf. "I'm sorry for any trouble he caused."

Both Rena and Gaara knew he didn't feel sorry. In fact, Rena was unsure that he felt anything at all.

However, Gaara's thoughts were on the black-haired boy. He had stopped Kankuro with a pebble, and made it look easy. This person was someone to keep an eye on, a threat.

"Let's go. We didn't come here to play games." He was talking to Temari and Kankuro, but Rena felt like he was more signaling her. He wanted her to come to him. He wouldn't turn until he saw her make a move, and it felt like ages before she put one foot in front of the other and came like a dog to an angry owner. Did Gaara really have this much control over her?

He began to walk forwards, and Rena bowed to the children. "My apologies, Leaf citizens. They're simply tired from a long journey." Rena said, in an attempt to dispel the glares of hatred. Unfortunately, her efforts had the opposite effect and they got worse.

"Hold up! Hey!" The pink-haired girl shouted.

"What?" Temari asked, her eyes narrowing. Yes, Temari was hostile against people she didn't know. This was the true Temari, sass and all. Rena loved it.

"I can tell from your headband that you come from the Village Hidden in the Sand. Of course, the land of fire and the land of wind are allied, but no shinobi can enter another's village without permission!" The pink-haired girl said, matter-of-factly.

"She just sounds so full of herself." Rena muttered. She was annoyed. The last thing she wanted was to be schooled by a walking textbook.

"So state your business, and it better be good!" The girl finished her little display of knowledge.

"Really, have you guys all been living under a rock or what? You don't know what's going on, do you? We have permission." Temari flashed them the identification given by the Kazekage, smiling. "Of course, you're correct. We are Hidden Sand genin. Our home is the land of wind and we're here for the Chuunin exams! Get the picture?"

"The Chuunin exams? What's that?" The blonde haired boy asked. "Well, I've never heard of any Chuunin exams, believe it..."

"Heh. Oh, I believe it alright... that you're totally clueless!" Temari smirked.

"Hey, boss!" The little kid whom Kankuro had bullied before spoke. "Those are the exams that every genin's got to take to become a Chuunin!"

"Oh, wow! Well, why didn't you say so? I am so there!" Blondie said, jumping around.

Gaara turned around and began to walk away. Everyone of the Sand followed him.

"Hey, you. Identify yourself." The black haired kid said.

"Hm? You mean me?" Temari asked, blushing a deep red. Rena sighed. It seemed even tomboys were affected by the curse that was love.

"No, him. The guy with the gourd on his back." The boy said, pointing at Gaara. Temari turned to look at Gaara. Gaara turned around.

"...Hunh...? My name is Gaara, of the desert. I'm curious about you, too. Who are you?" Gaara's face was unreadable, but this felt extremely out of character for him. Rena felt like he had a second motive..Gaara was being too friendly.

"I am Sasuke Uchiha." The boy said, proudly. Rena flinched at the Uchiha name. Marionetta and Cheshire turned to her, their faces stricken with worry. Gaara and Sasuke stared at one another, the air getting colder with whatever mental battle the two had going on.

Then Blondie spoke. "Hi there! I bet you're dying to know my name, right?"

Gaara cooly brushed him off. "I couldn't care less." He then turned again, and walked off. Rena and her team followed.

"Temari...Kankuro... what the hell were you thinking?!" Rena's voice was nearly at the point of shouting, causing several heads to turn their way.

"We're honestly sorry, Rena. That brat bumped into me and didn't apologize, and then the pink haired girl had the nerve to go and harass us for being part of the Sand!" Kankuro's eyes cast downwards, and Rena could tell he just wanted to avoid punishment. That didn't stop her from being upset and disappointed! She thought Kankuro was better than that.

"That's still no reason to stoop to new lows. You could have held yourself higher. I am extremely disappointed in you!" Rena reprimanded him.

"I told you you'd get in trouble. She was raised by Sansa, the Devil Tactician of the Sand." Temari gave a nonchalant shrug and Kankuro glared at her.

"Did you at least manage to get us checked in with the Leaf Village's Hokage?" Rena asked, hands on her hips. Temari glanced at Gaara, who emotionlessly shook his head.

"No, we haven't." Temari said.

"Ugh.. Look, since it's probably me and Gaara they're looking for, we'll do that. Check us into the inn. Marionetta and Cheshire have gone to see about finding us a specialized secret area for training. The Chuunin Exams are in a week, and we want to be checked in by then. Go on!" Rena commanded them. It would probably take Temari and Kankuro about three hours to find the inn. As far as Rena was concerned, that was their punishment. She turned to Gaara. "Shall we go?" She was eager to see the entire town, and all Gaara did was give her that brooding stare which meant 'Okay, but I'm not going to actively participate.'

Temari and Kankuro walked away, hanging their heads in shame. Kankuro felt lucky that it had been Rena and not Gaara scolding them. If it had been Gaara... well, he didn't want to think about that. Still, being scolded by his future wife was pretty depressing.

Rena, with a skip in her step and a sing song voice began to trudge forwards in exploration of the leaf. "Walking, walking with Gaaa-ra. Walking, being with Gaaa-ra. Walking with the red haired boy, Gaaa-ra. Gaara Gaara Gaara Gaaaaaa-ra. Going to see the Leaf's Hokage with Gaa-ra. Going to run around town with Gaaa-ra."

Gaara turned around and gave her a long, hard glare.

"Got it. No songs. Okay."

**~**

**Sunday, 6:00 PM.**

**ARRIVAL TIME TO THE LEAF VILLAGE: 2:00PM**

**Gaara and Rena's Relationship Level: 2%**

Rena walked down the bustling streets. Many vendors were around and people were buying different things. There were several sales going on. Gaara watched Rena carefully with his third eye to prevent looking at her. He observed her, but there was one thing she hung around in particular, a necklace with a silver rose on it. The rose had a diamond in the middle, a small one, but a diamond nevertheless.

"Hey, little lady! You wanna buy it? 120,205 yen! It's expensive." The vendor said, his eyes darting towards her pockets.

"Get lost then, kid! I only have time for paying customers, not curious children!" The vendor snapped, then began to smile at the potential customers passing by.

"We do have enough money." Gaara dropped a small pouch on the stall's surface. "Plus a 10,000 yen tip. Give it to the girl."

The Vendor smiled brightly, and pulled out a velvet case from his wooden stall. He carefully placed the necklace inside. "Oh, my apologies, miss! I was so rude earlier!" The vendor took the pouch filled with money, and handed Rena the box with the necklace in it.

A large smile spread across Rena's face. She clutched it close to her, holding it tighly. "Thank you, Gaara!"

She skipped forwards, and Gaara turned back towards the vendor, a glare in his eyes. The vendor seemed to be afraid.

"What do girls like?" He asked.

"W...What...?" The vendor stuttered.

"What can I get her that will make her smile like that again?"

"I... I don't know! You gotta watch for what they like! If they tell you they like something, then that's probably it!"

Gaara stared at the rest of the vendor's wares.

"What's this?" He asked, pointing to a ring embedded with diamonds.

"That's...a proposal ring."

A proposal ring? Then he had found something good. He would propose a deal to Rena.

"I'll take it."

"Do... you know what it's for, kid?"

"I do, and I'll take it."

He dropped another pouch on the table and the vendor exchanged the money for the ring, with haste. Gaara put the box in his shirt, for safekeeping.

He was always watching Rena, always. That third eye of his would see to that. However, he wanted her to stop making those kinds of faces. The ones when he walks away from her. He didn't understand why they were happening, but he assumed it was because she needed something.

In exchange for the ring, Rena would have to stop making those strange faces.

They had already signed in at the Hokage's building, and were now hunting for the inn Kankuro and Temari had signed into. They had tried 3 already, but nobody from the Sand Village had checked in to any of them.

"Hey, that inn might be the one. The Dancing Leaf." She pointed to a sign with a beautiful leaf painted on it.

"..." Gaara remained silent, but that was normally his 'okay'. He walked inside of the inn, and there was a girl in a kimono behind the counter, at least 13 years of age.

"Oh, welcome to The Dancing Leaf. Can I help you, cutie?" The girl winked. Gaara remained silent, annoyed at the pass the girl made at him.

"We're... looking for Temari, Kankuro, Marionetta and Cheshire. They might have checked in." Rena came in beside Gaara.

"Oh. Are you his girlfriend?" The girl asked, sounding disappointed.

"..." Gaara remained silent.

"Uh, well, n-"

"Yes."

Rena was shocked and unable to move. She stared at him, literally almost stone.

"Yeah, your friends are on floor 2, reserved for the Sand Village during Chuunin exams. There are about 6 rooms on floor 2. God, why are the hot ones always taken or not interested in me? Totally unfair..." After the girl gave short instructions on getting to floor 2, she went back to reading her magazine and grumbling about being single. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail, but she was really pretty. Rena felt inadequate.

Gaara dragged Rena up the stairs. When they got to the 1st floor, Rena stopped.

"What?" Gaara asked, annoyance in his voice.

"You called me your girlfriend."

"I don't know what it means. I said something just to shut that annoying thing up." Gaara began to continue up the steps.

"What about a kiss?" Rena took one step forwards. "You remember what that is, right? When we were kids, you promised that you'd be my first kiss."

"...You want a kiss? From me...?" Gaara asked, turning back to her. His face, voice and eyes were emotionless. She couldn't read him at all.

"You promised." Rena murmured.

Gaara stepped close enough to Rena that their noses would have touched if either were to move a single inch. Rena closed her eyes tightly, and felt the cool touch of another person's lips on her own. It felt wet, and lasted for a minute. She felt Gaara's left hand wrap around her waist, pulling her closer. He didn't want it to stop. It was a curious feeling. He right hand touched her cheek, bringing her face up for an easier kiss on his part. Gaara broke away, his face just as emotionless as before.

"Why would you..." Rena was crying. She ran past Gaara, pushing him out of her way.

For some reason, Gaara had a bubbly feeling in his chest. He was confused as to why she pushed him away, but touched his lips. She had a particular scent; one that he found familiar and relaxing. He had almost forgotten the Konoha mission, just for a minute.

He grabbed his head as if he was in pain. Was this love? Was this the weak distraction that had been eating away at him? He couldn't. No, he didn't need love.

He refocused himself, and continued back up the stairs.

**~**

**8:00PM, Sunday**

**1 Week Until Chuunin Exams**

**Gaara and Rena's Relationship Level: 5%**

Gaara exited his room, locking the door behind him. Kankuro, Temari, Cheshire and Marionetta were out training, and Rena was taking a nap.

He stood outside her door, putting two fingers over his closed eye. He sent a small amount of sand through the lock, and gazed into her room. With his other hand, he used sand to unlock the door, quietly. It swung open nicely, without a groan of any sort.

He slipped inside, and sat on Rena's bed, watching her breathe while she slept. It made him feel tired, as well. He took a strand of her messy purple hair, brushing his fingers up and down it. His fingers literally slipped through her hair; it was soft and silky.

He stared at her lips before leaning down and gently pressing his against hers again. He didn't understand what was happening inside him, but it made him want more. Much more. That familiar bubbly feeling rose inside of him and he pulled down her blankets, staring at her chest. He had never been this close to anyone except for Rena; so was it wrong to be curious? Female anatomy was supposedly different from male anatomy. This was a perfect time to prove that claim, but why did this feel... wrong?

Despite the feelings of violation, he undid one button. Then another, and another.

The middle of her chest was showing. Despite only being 13, it was beginning to grown out. He reached for her, his hand hovering over her chest when...

"Rena! We brought you a giant cookie!" Kankuro burst into the room, holding a legitimately giant cookie. Rena shot up, sitting upwards. The cookie fell from Kankuro's hands and he point at her chest. "Buh...buh?"

Rena looked down, and at first, she seemed calm. Then, she let out a very shrill shriek and covered her chest. She used her other hand to whip a pillow at Kankuro, screaming, "Get out, you pervert! Knock first!" After Kankuro got out, Rena began to mutter to herself.

Gaara continued to watch from the not-so-safe safety of her closet. You see, when Kankuro burst in, it was a close call. Gaara turned himself to sand and basically flew into the closet at the highest speed possible. It was actually quite annoying, as he was technically stuck in here. He was positive Rena would notice if a torrent of sand came flying out of the closet.

Rena sighed, walking towards the closet. Gaara held his breath. She turned to the dresser and removed a set of clothing, laying them out on the bed. She tied her hair back. It still almost reached the ground, but at least it wasn't in her way.

Gaara watched with curiousity as Rena unbuttoned the rest of her shirt and took it off. For some reason, his face felt heated. Maybe he had a fever from the stress?

She again walked over to the closet. She was right in front of him, and Gaara could feel himself getting hotter. She was wearing nothing but a pair of panties which were a pristine white. Gaara couldn't look away; curiosity overwhelmed him. However, he then began to notice an abundance of scars. They were everywhere. Most of them looked deep, as if they were once painful gashes. Her body was covered in them, and it made him angry.

She stared at herself in the mirror, sighing. "My body isn't that great, and my face isn't that pretty..." She murmured. "I said I'd meet Gaara tonight, but..." She slid on a pretty turquoise dress, putting her ninja headband around her neck. She opened the box with the rose necklace on it, and gave a small smile. She put it around her neck, and Gaara couldn't help but observe every scar on her body. He'd have to somehow gain knowledge of these scars and ask her about them later.

She let her hair down, messing it up a little more before brushing it into a straight style."Should I?" She murmured, staring at the closet. She opened it, and luckily she didn't have the lights on. Gaara pressed himself against the back of the closet. She felt around for something, and grabbed Gaara's sash. He stared at her as she rummaged through the closet, lazily. Was she always this open to an attack? She was truly hopeless. It was a good thing he kept a close watch on her. "Found it!" She pulled out a black bag, and dumped it on the floor. Strange bottles came out, and she scrambled through them. Gaara recognized it as makeup. "I feel bad about accepting this.... Makeup is really expensive. 70,000 yen for a stick of lipstick... it's insane..." She gave a small sigh. Makeup wasn't usually made in the land of the ninja. It was rare, and few could afford it.

Rena applied lipstick and blue eyeshadow, carefully.

She paused.

"The Kazekage wants me to marry Kankuro, and.." She sighed to herself. "I hurt Gaara, a lot. I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to fight my kidnappers, but... His father thinks I should just walk away. He wants me to have a steady life." She put the makeup down. "But you won't, will you?" She was talking to the mirror now. "It doesn't matter if Gaara is a Jinchuriki. You'd never betray him!" Rena smiled slightly. "You may not have a ninja way, but someday... someday you'll find one."

She exited the room, and Gaara heard Kankuro's voice.

"Woah, Rena! Where are you going all dressed up like that?"

"A date!" The sound of footsteps made it apparent Rena was in a hurry, so Gaara should be too.

Kankuro collapsed to the ground, devastated. His girlfriend, going on a date with another guy? He'd kill him!

Gaara stepped out of the closet, gently closing it behind him.

The door was kicked open and Kankuro entered. "Who the hell... there has to be a clue on who's seducing my Rena here!" Kankuro stopped, and stared at Gaara. "You...she...changing...saw?"

Gaara brushed past Kankuro, and turned into sand, racing through the hall into his room and out of the window.

Meanwhile, Rena was climbing onto the roof. A hand was offered to her, and she took it. This was one of the few times Gaara had voluntarily touched her. Gaara pulled her up to the roof, and she tilted backwards, losing balance. Gaara wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, nestling his face in her soft hair. "If you aren't aware of the steps you're taking, you will fall." He let go, allowing Rena to steady herself.

She sat down on the roof, and Gaara sat beside her. They were silent for a few minutes.

"So why did you call me up here?"

"Because I want you to stop meddling." He muttered.

"What?"

"I can't love. Love makes you weak. Love makes you weak, and I must exist, no matter what. If you get in my way, I will kill you." Gaara threatened.

"That's okay."

"What?" The surprise was so much that Gaara could not hide it.

"I said, that's okay."

"Are you...insane?" Gaara asked, a look of bewilderment crossing his face.

"Yep. Totally! Nah... it's just, if it's you killing me, I'll let it happen. If that's what you think is best." Rena smiled happily. "But, Gaara... I'll wait an eternity for you to realize what love is. What it can do. I'll wait until every human rots, every ninja becomes extinct. I will be by your side even if you try to kill me, and I will never be afraid like the others. I believe in you."

"You'd let me kill you..."

"Because I love you, Gaara."

Gaara quickly grabbed Rena by the neck, but she didn't do anything. She only closed her eyes. He was going to strangle her, and she wasn't stopping him. Why? Didn't she know she was weak? Didn't she know she was going to die because she loved him?!

His arms dropped to his side. He was enraged, absolutely angered.

"I.... you're weak for loving me. You'd give up your life for someone who doesn't care about you."

"I guess I would, yep. But that's love at its worst. You have yet to see love at its best! Gaara, even if you never love me back, I'd still care about you."

Her smile caused his heartbeat to speed up and the fever to come back. Why was she doing this to him?! He wanted her to stop! He didn't want her to give her life to him willingly! He didn't... he couldn't bring himself to do it. He withdrew his hands from her neck.

"If anyone else had said that to me, I would have killed them." He muttered. "But I'll allow this. I'll make you follow me. You're not going to leave my side until you see how weak love truly is. I'm going to show you why I'm strong. I'm going to make you just as strong as me."

Rena's smile got larger.

"Stop doing that." Gaara murmured. "I'll get another fever."

"Huh?" That statement confused Rena.

Little did they know, a certain Jonin was watching, listening in.

The teacher of the Sand Siblings, Baki. "This is impossible..." He whispered. "She'd never allow this!"

**~**

**6:00 AM**

**Monday**

**7 Days Until Chuunin Exams**

**Gaara and Rena's Relationship Level: 14%**

"Wake up, Rena! God damnit, meow!" There was the sound of a bell, and it filled Rena's head. She blinked awake to Cheshire standing over her, dangling his bell over her head. He pulled her out of bed and she lazily followed...

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro were all sitting in Marionetta's room already.

"It's... so black... how could you even do this in a day?" Temari was shocked.

Kankuro, who was still in a very bad mood from last night, only grunted.

Gaara, who seemed to get no sleep at all, just intensely stared at the floor. One spot in particular.

Cheshire played with his bell and Marionetta wore her familiar empty look.

Rena sat down between Gaara and Kankuro, and cleared her throat. Everyone turned to look at her. "We need to take this chance to get familiar with the Village of the Leaf. No doubt the Chuunin exams will take place in a forested area... We need to collect info on three things. We need to know which plants can hurt us and which ones can heal us, which wildlife is dangerous and which wildlife isn't, and finally, find the strongest Leaf Genin so we know what we're up against. Since the only person who uses one type of element here is Temari, with wind, there's not much we can prepare for in terms of battle... well, Gaara could classify as an earth type..."

"That's exactly what I am, Rena."

"Gaara is an earth type, so we... we don't have a water type, do we? Unless Kankuro carries some kind of sprinkler puppet around."

Kankuro looked extremely annoyed.

"Anyways, we have two puppetmasters, a sand user, and a physical cat type. Of course, there's me, but... I don't have any fire jutsu."

"Which means you have the other types?" Gaara looked alarmed. He hadn't known someone who was able to use more than one element at Genin level.

"I can use Lightning, Water, Earth, and Wind. I can't use Fire." Rena murmured, shrinking back from curious stares. "I just don't have any Jutsu for anything other than Wind right now."

"Why?" Temari asked.

"I don't honestly know. Sansa told me it was something I was born with, but...for some reason, I only feel like she was telling me half of the story." There was a nagging voice in the back of Rena's head, telling her she was forgetting something. She ignored it. "Anyways, I'll focus on using Taijutsu rather than Ninjustu. Also, I'm terrible at Genjutsu, so that's really not an option." Rena sighed. "So, let's start developing strategies first. Kankuro, what can you do?"

"My puppets. That's all. I'll work with it as I go." He turned away angrily. Rena sighed. She wasn't expecting Kankuro, of all people, to be difficult.

"Okay, Temari?" She asked, hoping Temari would have a better answer than her brother.

"I have my Wind Sickle Jutsu, and my fan. With these, I can cut down anyone who gets in our way." Temari gave a shrug, and Rena let out an annoyed groan.

"Marionetta, show them how it's done!"

Marionetta stood up robotically, her voice the same. "I am Manipulative Marionetta. My functions include three Jutsu so far; Self Puppetry Jutsu, which allows me to control myself even when another controls me. Puppet Dance Jutsu, which allows me to control many puppets at once, and Sacrifice Jutsu. It allows me to gain the strength of two for a while; as long as I sacrifice something, whether it be blood or life. I have my chakra strings attached to my body, which are nearly indetectable depending on how inferior the enemy is. I also have attack and defense modes." Marionetta sat down, and Cheshire clapped.

"Next up is me, I guess!" Cheshire winked, and posed, jumping up from his seat cheerily. "I have my advanced Taijutsu, and I have one jutsu! It's the Three-Tailed Cat Jutsu! It kinda works like Marionetta's Sacrifice Jutsu, but I don't need to sacrifice anything! It's just a performance enhancer." Cheshire bounced back into his seat.

Gaara got up. "Sand Burial, Sand Coffin, the sand that protects me." He sat back down. Rena was surprised he was participating.

Rena stood up. "I have a few Jutsu! For my Wind Jutsu, I have... Wind Style: Raging Wind Current, Wind Style: Hurricane, and Wind Style: Shrieking Banshee. My Taijutsu is Striking Talons Jutsu, and Black Cat Strike!" She sat back down quickly.

"That's impressive. You have quite the library of Jutsu." Kankuro said, forgetting his anger. "You sure you're a Genin?"

"To be honest, I was enhanced by the people who kidnapped me. It was painful, but it helped me become stronger. Now, my body can withstand several forms of abuse." Her voice was devoid of emotion, and Gaara stared at her. This was the first time he heard her speak like he did, with an empty voice.

Gaara nudged her with his foot, making sure to be subtle. She looked at him, surprised. It was a better emotion than empty, though, and he was satisfied. He wouldn't let her feel like he did. Not yet, at least. He didn't know how Rena made him feel, but he was satisfied with today. If all days were like this, then he would be fine with it.

Just fine, but that was enough.

Rena stood up, and stretched. "Alright, we'll use Monday to get out of the inn and get our bearings of the place. We used yesterday to settle in, sleep, and fool around. Uh, I'll divide us up into teams of two to explore. We'll regroup at Hunna Desserts at noon! Team Lightning will be Kankuro and Marrionetta! Team Wind will be Temari and Cheshire, while Team Sand will be Gaara and I." Rena gave Gaara a smile, who did not return it.

"Come on, Kitty Cat, there's somewhere I wanna go." Temari dragged a whining Cheshire by his tail out of the room.

"We shall strategically comb the city in a way that we shall see all of it before our rendezvous at lunch. I will map it in my mind for you, Rena." Marionetta began to power walk.

"Hey, Creepy Goth Girl, wait up!" Kankuro yelled, running after Marionetta.

"Guess that leaves us." Rena shrugs, and Gaara nods. They set off for adventure.

**Team Wind – Temari and Cheshire**

Temari stared at the boy who had his hands behind his head and was lazily lying out in a field with a book on his face.

"Hey, you alive?" She kicked his leg.

"Leave me alone, I'm slacking off." The boy groaned.

"The least you can do is introduce yourself." Temari's eyes narrowed. This boy was annoying.

"What, and be like that idiot over there trying to catch butterflies?" He was referring to Cheshire. "I have a feeling the reason he's so stupid is because he talked to you."

"Contrary to popular belief, he's actually just naturally that way. I'm Temari."

The boy removed the book from his face, staring up at her. Then, he gave a short reply. "Shikamaru."

"Nice to meet you, Shikamaru." Temari grinned.

"The pleasure can remain all yours." Shikamaru grumbled.

Temari sat down beside him and the two continued their quiet conversation while Cheshire attacked butterflies.

**Team Lightning – Kankuro and Marionetta**

"You don't know how to eat ice cream?" Kankuro asked, frowning.

"No, I do not." Marionetta said, looming over the bowl of vanilla icecream. Girls really were just as scary as Kankuro thought.

"Open your mouth." Kankuro sighed.

"Why?"

"Just...do it."

"...Okay." Marionetta opened her mouth, and Kankuro picked up a massive amount of icecream on his spoon and shoveled it in.

"How is it?" He asked, as she chewed and swallowed.

"Again." Marionetta opened her mouth.

"You're gonna make me do this the entire time, aren't you?" Marionetta nodded, and Kankuro sighed, resigning his fate as her personal ice-cream feeder for the day.

**Team Sand – Gaara and Rena**

**Rena and Gaara's Relationship Level: 23%**

"Gaara, you really are terrible at this." Rena laughed.

"I'm... not used to shaping sand with my hands like this." Gaara said, looking away. He felt embarrassed; he could easily use his jutsu, but he couldn't manage this?

"Here, let me help you." Rena got behind him, leaning over and putting her hands on him. She helped him shape his sand castle, fixing the broken pieces. Gaara watched intently as she did it; he also noticed the fever was returning. Why did he only get the fever when Rena was around?

"If you really wanted a sand castle, I could use jutsu to make you a life-sized one. All you need to do is ask. I don't really understand this." He gestured to the sand castle they both made.

"Well, I like it more hand-made. Jutsu would take all of five seconds for you, but I much prefer the time you put into it. I don't care how it looks, even if it's pretty dopey..." Rena giggled at Gaara's poor attempt at a sand castle. "But I guess you don't get it yet. Don't worry, you will later on."

Gaara didn't even try to decode her speech; he'd never understand Rena, nor the love she claimed to have for him. After getting it right after a few tries, he got up and wiped the sand off his hands. He wasn't used to it sticking to him, but this was very damp sand. The sand he himself used was extremely dry, and never stuck to the skin. "It looks nice for something made with my hands."

"I'm curious about something." Rena said, looking at the sand-castle they had made together. Gaara stared at her; it was seven in the morning, and they had made their way into the playground closest to the inn. The playground and streets were deserted, and that familiar morning mist was settling down on the entire Village of the Leaf.

"Yes?" Gaara asked, distracted by his handiwork.

"Can I try attacking you?" This caused Gaara to stop. What a curious question. Rena was getting even more curious to him; it wouldn't be long before he was fully interested in who she was.

"You may." He said. She'd never hit him, anyways. The sand would make sure of that. Rena backed up, and then darted towards Gaara. Her hand curled into a fist, and she got closer. He willed the sand that protected him to be gentle. He didn't want it to attack her back; this was her first step of learning how to be strong.

Wait, something was wrong. The sand wasn't moving.

Rena ran over the line that the sand would normally stop someone at, and her fist hit Gaara...right across the face. He fell down, holding his face. He was shocked; he hadn't even felt threatened, and yet the sand failed him. It didn't protect him from her. It didn't even put up a sand shield on his skin.

"Gaara, are you okay?! God, I thought your sand would protect you... I just wanted to see if it was faster than me!" She kneeled beside Gaara, checking to see if he was okay.

"I'm fine. It's just early." He got up, shaking off the shock of the hit. "Let's go to the swings. I'll push you."

Rena nodded, and followed him towards the swings.

Why didn't his sand protect him? Something had happened. Or rather, nothing had happened. Gaara never showed his weaknesses, but...

Could it have to do with Rena?

**Team Wind – Temari and Cheshire**

"Pfft..ahahaha! And you're telling me he honestly did that?!" Temari said, crying from sheer laughter. This guy was hilarious! Her organs hurt because of how much he made her laugh.

"Yeah, in the morning, Sensei could barely move. He drunk all of his sake, but didn't realize, because he was too drunk to notice!" Shikamaru did a half-hearted laugh. He wasn't about to waste too much energy on laughing.

"You seem quite intelligent, Shikamaru." Temari smirked.

"I don't say this often, but so do you." Shikamaru gave a half-assed shrug. "So, those Chuunin exams. You entering?"

"Yeah, my brothers and I plus some friends." Temari almost felt guilty for what she was about to do to the Leaf, but she had to remind herself that it was for the good of her Village. This guy didn't really matter; the rest of them were probably jerks.

"I'm in them, too."

"So, we might be facing each other."

"What a bother..." Shikamaru muttered.

"Hey, if we do face one another and I win, then you owe me some ramen."

"Ya know what? I'll take you up on that, because you're not gonna win."

What a pathetic guy. Ah, well. She couldn't waste time here much longer. Something made her want to stay, but he would just be another casualty on the long list coming. She'd never cash in on that ramen.

**Team Lightning – Kankuro and Marionetta**

Marionetta winded her arm back, and threw the birdseed on the ground. "Why aren't they getting closer? I feed them. Most animals, when fed, find trust in the feeder and move close."

"If you weren't throwing it halfway across the world, they might come closer." Kankuro said, scooping up a handful of birdseed. He scattered it around Marionetta's feet. Birds instantly flew over to her, surrounding her.

"Your methods are extremely effective. I shall add that to my memory. Should I also update your profile to label both the 'Animal Tamer' and 'Puppet Master' traits?" Marionetta asked, staring blankly at Kankuro. He didn't know exactly what she meant by that... it was a little confusing.

"What do you mean, update?"

"I am artificial. Rena says that someday I will find my own heart, through 'love'. Until I have a heart, I am an incomplete being." Marionetta scattered birdseed around her feet; Kankuro watched her. Her eyes were sad. Sadder than any he had seen before.

"I think you're real." He took some birdseed into his hands and stared at it, exploring every kernel. "I mean, you probably already have a heart."

"Well, I do not have a personality. I am simply a puppet without a soul, attempting to create my own emotions from scratch. I am an insufficient creation." Marionetta bent down, tracing her finger along the line of a small bird's back. The feathers were soft, and the bird didn't seem to mind. She picked it up, and placed it on her shoulder.

It seemed like she had made a new friend.

"Like I said, I think you're really great. And you do have a personality! You like icecream and watching birds eat. That's the beginning of a heart, I think." Kankuro gave one of his grins, and a smile formed on Marionetta's face for the very first time. Her new bird friend nestled into her neck, looking for warmth.

"Thank you, Kankuro."

And she meant it.

**Team Sand – Gaara and Rena**

They sat on the swings, the silence between them just as unsettling as one of Gaara's glares. Gaara wanted to start a conversation, but he just didn't know how. Rena, on the other hand, was afraid Gaara didn't want to talk.

"So, you seem to enjoy sweets," Gaara began, hoping that would be enough to spur a conversation.

"I do, but you don't." Rena looked at Gaara. Why didn't Gaara like sweets? She would think he would have a major sweet tooth.

"I don't. Things like Valentine's Day and White Day had no meaning to me. They still don't." Ah, that's right. Gaara has probably never gotten chocolates from another person before, but he's been watching other people get them from the shadows. He's never, ever had someone like him like that, has he? He's never had someone who he could depend on to make him happy when he felt down.

She gave him a small smile. "Well, Valentine's Day isn't just about getting chocolates. It's about showing someone you appreciate them."

"Who is there to appreciate in this world?" Gaara asked, staring at the sand below his feet. Rena knew he wasn't trying to be a bad person; the world simply dealt him a bad hand, and he dealt with it in the only way he ever could. "What is appreciation?"

"Appreciation... it's simply feeling happy that someone is there." Rena gave Gaara a smile, but he wasn't paying much attention. He was already thinking on her words. Appreciation....

He had appreciation for his mother.

Rena leaned over the swing to kiss Gaara on the cheek, whose eyes snapped to her without him moving. It was like he was frozen; he had been caught off guard. His sand hadn't moved to protect him, which was a surprise. Gaara felt attacked; the fever was back, and this time, his heart was pounding in his chest as if he had just killed someone. That euphoric feeling of taking a life was here, but why?

"You were making an expression I didn't like, so I had to change it. Now you look surprised and flustered." Rena laughed, holding her stomach because of how much it hurt. Seeing Gaara make such a funny expression was beyond words.

"The fever is back..." He muttered. Rena didn't hear him, due to her over-the-top laughing fit.

Gaara stared at Rena. Why her? Why was it her? Why did she have to be the one to make him falter, to make him question himself? If it was anyone else, he would have killed them already. But she made him think. Her laugh made his fever worse. Everything about her, even when she was wide open and ripe to kill, made him stop. He could take her life right now and end it here, but what his mind wanted, his body refused. Why would his body fight him?

He wouldn't give up. He would fight her. His way was the only way, and she would see that, even if he had to force her to.

**Team Lightning – Kankuro and Marionetta**

"Hey, I forgot to ask. We're naming the teams after our elemental potential, but we don't have that potential. Why are we the lightning team, and not the Puppetry Team?" Kankuro glanced up from his ice-cream that Marionetta was eating. The bird on her shoulder tweeted away, and had been given the particular name of 'Tweets'.

"Because my Jutsu is lightning style and I'm not just a Puppet Master. Although, Rena insists I do not talk about my lightning Jutsu due to the fact it is a danger to my allies and enemies alike. It is also dangerous to me." Marionetta poked at the ice cream she had been eating moments before, and held a spoon up to Tweets' tiny beak. It took a small amount from the spoon, and tweeted.

"A danger? Why would it be dangerous?" Sure, lightning was pretty dangerous, but when controlled by a ninja, surely it was safer.

"I cannot control my lightning Jutsu. It lashes out in all directions, and sometimes even backlashes. One of my Jutsu seeks heat... It does not matter who is on the field, in the end. Friend or foe, they have a tendency to die if hit."

Kankuro stared at her, and he almost understood how Marionetta felt. She was scary to him, at the beginning, but once he got to know her, she just seemed sad... lonely. She believed she wasn't complete, and she distanced herself from others without realizing it. She had flaws, but those flaws were of her own making.

"If you want, I can help you with training, so you can at least try to control it." Kankuro offered. He didn't like seeing people sad; especially not Rena's friends. After all; they say the fastest way to a girl's heart was through the female gossip between friends!

"Here?" Marionetta asked, gesturing to the busy plaza. Kankuro shook his head, almost viciously. Okay, so she wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable person, or full of common sense, but hey. That can be fixed.

"Let's go to that one training field we booked."

Luckily, there were no civilian causalities that evening.

**12:00 PM Monday**

**Hunna's Desserts**

**6 Days Until Chuunin Exams**

**Rena and Gaara's Relationship Level: 30%**

Rena and Gaara were the very first to get to Hunna's, so they got to choose the table. They sat at the one furthest from the door, in absolute silence. Rena was beginning to notice a pattern; Gaara wasn't very talkative unless she initiated the conversation first.

Gaara sat opposite from her, staring at her without restraint. People stopped eating to stare at them both; it was a very strange sight to see, because Gaara's stare was a death glare. People began to leave, not wanting to get caught up in whatever happened next.

A server girl was pushed into talking to the two by the three other girls serving. She approached the table cautiously, and laughed nervously.

"Um, can you guys please leave...? Our customer-"

Gaara's eyes snapped to the server girl, a glare worse than before on his face. She shrieked, and ran out of the shop. One of the girls ran after her, calling for her to wait.

"Gaara, you're scaring everyone." Rena said, crossing her arms. Gaara's gaze snapped back to her. He hated their expressions of fear, but Rena never had that type of look on her face. That's why he was going to continue staring at her; he didn't want to acknowledge any other expression. He didn't care about anyone else, but she seemed to.

He glanced at the servers, who seemed to be panicking. The two server girls who had left came back with a couple of Jonin, and were pointing at Gaara and Rena.

"Gaara, please forgive me for this!" Rena said, and Gaara simply gave her the same look, but a confused version. Rena grabbed his sash and pulled him towards her, giving him a kiss on the lips.

It was at this point that Kankuro, Temari, Marionetta and Cheshire found it convenient to enter the desserts shop at this moment, witnessing the kiss.

Kankuro froze on the spot, his heart in confusion and breaking all the same. The party of four sat down at the table awkwardly, and the kiss was broken.

"So... what's this, then?" Kankuro felt his anger rise.

"We accidentally caught the attention of a couple of Jonin. Kissing in public makes people uncomfortable, right? So, I figured we'd do so to kind of draw their attention away from us." And it seemed to be working; the Jonin simply laughed off whatever things the server girls had said to get them here and walked out of the shop. Kankuro's heart still hurt, but hey, at least the kiss didn't mean anything.

Gaara felt numb, and not in his normal way. His heart was intensely beating as if he had been running; Rena had always managed to surprise him in the strangest of ways. Her skills of distraction were quite admirable, in some terms. Gaara would have to remember that for future encounters... just in case he made an enemy of her.

"That's a pretty smart way of doing things." Temari said, complimenting her. Kankuro wanted to glare at his sister for stealing those Rena-points, but that would give too much away, too soon. Surely it would be awkward to kiss a girl his brother kissed first, but for Rena, he'd do anything.

Besides, Gaara couldn't love or understand love anyways. There was nothing for Kankuro to be worried about.

"Let's order!" Temari picked up the one-sided menu in an attempt to break the awkward tension between everyone.

A server girl quietly asked them for their order; she was still afraid of Gaara.

Kankuro was the first to order, of course. Nobody except Marionetta knew of the new scar Kankuro had on his right forearm; it was a nasty burn, and even though it smarted, they had already gotten it medical attention. Nobody needed to know, especially not Rena. "The Vanilla Bruiser," He said, his mood neutral. He had been injured today, but that was part of the risk of being a ninja.

"I shall share with Kankuro." Marionetta moved closer to Kankuro, who was sitting beside Rena. She was clingy in a way, like a child to a parent. Kankuro didn't really mind, though. It was a change of pace from his normal life.

"I'll order an extra Vanilla Bruiser, just in case." Kankuro remembered how much Marionetta enjoyed these types of things. Tweets chirped away on her shoulder, happy to know it would be getting fed soon.

"I don't enjoy sweets. Skip me." Gaara looked away from the server girl; he was pondering over why Rena did what she did. He also despised the service here.

"I'll have the Choco-DE-Luxe. Two, please!" Rena ordered for Gaara as well, smiling at the waitress. The waitress saw a potential sale, and went for it.

"We have a couples' cake, made for budding sweethearts! Would you like to try that?"

"I would!" Kankuro put his hand up.

"Sir, it's made out of chocolate... I don't think you enjoy chocolate, do you?"

"It's fine, I'll share with Rena!"

"I'll eat it with her." Gaara gave Kankuro a glare, and Kankuro shrunk back in fear. "You've already ordered."

Kankuro didn't argue. Temari, on the other hand, was ignoring everyone else. "Just bring me the special."

Cheshire was the loudest of them all.

"I'll have a vanilla cake with a flower on it!" He screamed.

Some Leaf Village Chuunin looked over to the table that the Sand Genin were at with a glare. Did they always make themselves so at home in another village?

Gaara turned to his companions. "Quiet down. The Leaf isn't going to take us seriously if we scream about cake at the top of our lungs."

The waitress brought everyone's cake, except for Rena and Gaara. She asked them what hand was the one they usually used for things.

"I use my right hand." He stared at the waitress. Was she trying to collect info for the Leaf? Was she in the Chuunin exams?

"Same!" Rena watched as the waitress disappeared into the back room

Two minutes later, both Rena and Gaara felt cold metal on their wrists.

Their right hands were handcuffed to the chair.

Gaara's head snapped up. Was it an ambush? An assassination?

"Sorry! The lover's special requires that you feed one another." A larger piece of cake than the others in the shape of a chocolate heart was placed on the table in front of the two unsuspecting ninjas. "It's cuter if it's clumsier, so you're required to use the hand you're not used to using!"

Gaara struggled against the restraints with firm movements, rather than quick and jerky. He gave the waitress a long, hard glare.

"I...I'm sorry, Sir, but we can't unlock the restraints unless you both participate and finish the cake."

Gaara didn't find this fun. He began to regret volunteering; Kankuro had seemed eager, as well. Only, Kankuro seemed too eager. For some reason, Gaara felt it would be unwise to allow Kankuro and Rena to do this together, so he'd have to suffer through it for her sake, to teach her that love was weakness.

Rather than Rena, the first one to give in to the waitress' whims was Gaara. His fork stabbed into the cake, peeling off a single mouthful. He raised the fork in the air and paused, just before her lips.

"Open your mouth."

Almost everyone in the desserts shop stared in shock and awe; this was an unexpected development. Never had they thought that he would be the first to try. Everyone had placed bets, and nobody had won.

Rena opened her mouth, and Gaara gently slid the cake in. He was careful not to do it too roughly, because things like this required a more gentle touch, alike to when he trained with his sand. If he pushed too much, it would go too fast, too far. If he pushed just a little, it would go too slow, too close. He had to push it gently in the direction he wanted it to go.

It was the same with Rena; he'd gently push her into his beliefs. She was falling, he was sure of it. She would become like him.

Unfortunately, there was a drawback to this. With every little push he gave her, she gave him a shove. To what, he didn't know, but he felt change within him.

He still refused. He would always refuse, for as long as they were in this universe. They would grow old and die together, and he still would exist. He would not give in to the weakness that was love.

It was now Rena's turn to feed Gaara; she picked up a spoon, and Gaara saw she was slightly trembling. Was she afraid of him? He dreaded looking into her eyes and seeing the same expression that everyone else had. However, he couldn't stop himself...

But, instead of fear, there was something else. She looked like she had a fever as well; her eyes seemed to be in a sort of a daze. This wasn't fear; he attempted to sense her chakra.

She wasn't afraid, she was nervous.

Instead of getting it in his mouth, the cake fell off of the spoon and slid into his shirt, leaving chocolate cake on his collarbone. He looked down, and then back up. Silence filled the room as people watched with anticipation.

Gaara let out an angry sigh; his facial expression did not change, but Rena could tell he was upset, possibly even angry.

Rena attempted it again, her hands shaking even more. Gaara could sense her stress; she could feel every stare. The cake jiggled on the spoon, and-

Gaara leaned forwards, opening his mouth and taking the cake from the spoon himself. There were several gasps; it was a bold and daring move.

She looked sad, almost ashamed of what had happened, but Gaara continued on like a pillar of light in unending darkness. He seemed to be invincible to stares and whispers and harsh judgment, but Rena was not. Rena was weak, and he needed to show her the way, guide her along his path.

He would show her that humanity needed to rot, that they all deserved death; that she should feed her desires, and the sand should also feed on blood.

**10:00 PM**

**Dancing Leaf Hotel**

**Rena's Room**

**Rena and Gaara's Relationship Level: 39%**

Gaara entered the room quietly. Rena was lying on her bed, curled up in a ball. They had managed to get through the onslaught of stares and judgments; but Rena, however, seemed to still be thinking about it.

Her shoulders were shaking; she had despised any attention that had been drawn to her. Gaara sat on the bed. He didn't know how to comfort her. He knew exactly how crying felt and he had sworn never to do so again.

He was reluctant to make contact. To even hug her was a breach of everything he knew, everything he remained in sync with. But, with her like this, how could he not? Comforting another person was not in his skillset. He had never seen Rena like this, even as children.

Regardless, he wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to cry. Just for tonight, she wouldn't have to soak in her suffering alone. She was falling, becoming like him. Soon, she would see how weak love truly was.

**Tuesday**

**6:00AM**

**5 Days Until Chuunin Exams**

**Rena and Gaara's Relationship Level: 43%**

Rena awoke to the feeling of another person breathing. She was being held by arms; a strong, steady heartbeat drummed in her ears. As her blurry vision became clear, she saw Gaara, his eyes closed peacefully. He was so much more serene when sleeping, and had a certain cuteness to him that you wouldn't be able to find while he was awake. A face that made once hard glares was completely soft, and for once, had a singular emotion to it. It wasn't rage, hatred, or anger. It was simply peace of mind.

His eyes snapped open, and the same gaze that Rena normally saw on his face was back. She felt upset; even if it was just for a moment, she found that Gaara had been opening up to her.

"How long have you been awake, Gaara?" Rena asked, looking into the turquoise orbs she had gotten to know so well.

"Five hours." His voice was quiet and low, even a little drowsy. Little did she know, that was the best and most peaceful sleep Gaara had gotten in a long time.

"So, since one in the morning? Why didn't you get up?"

"You would have woken, should I have tried." He closed his eyes again. "So I simply remained."

But Gaara could turn into sand. If he did it with finesse, he could have easily avoided waking Rena up.

"I'm pretty sure we're going to be late for our training session." Rena said, trying to avoid her smile. She quickly removed herself from Gaara's grasp, and Gaara stood up as well. He grabbed her hand, and she felt her insides tingling. Every part of her was breaking apart, turning into something else, and moving through the air.

They were outside when Rena opened her eyes again; in the middle of a training field, the one they had signed out to be specific. Rena was surprised that her innards hadn't become outwards; she stared at Gaara.

However, a certain smell remained in her nostrils; the smell of an irony substance.

The smell of blood.

Rena tried her best to ignore it, but the thought kept coming back to her repeatedly as they trained. She didn't want to think about what Gaara had done with the sand, but deep inside her, she knew what he did. She knew who he had become and why everyone was attempting to warn her about him.

As much as it bothered her, her job as a ninja was more important, so she trained wordlessly for the day. Soon, it became the day of the Chuunin exams, as days spent with Kankuro, Gaara, Temari, Marionetta and Cheshire blended together. Overall, it was peaceful.

**Sunday Afternoon**

**Day Of Chuunin Exams**

**12:00PM**

**Rena and Gaara's Relationship Level: 50%**

"Kankuro, if you don't stop rushing ahead, I'm going to hurt you." Temari muttered under her breath, pulling her brother back for the fourth time. "We need to look menacing, and Gaara is our trump card."

Rena and Gaara were walking, but not side by side. They were rightfully apart; displaying their teams for all to see, making sure to look dangerous. People's eyes were averted. They completely walked past the obvious illusion of floor two, aware of most of the things going on in the facility. Such a child's trick would not fool them.

They finally reached floor three.

Awaiting silently in the group of ninjas awaiting the Chuunin exams, there was one specific group that was easily recognizable.

The pink-haired girl was yelling at the yellow-haired boy. It was certainly a curious experience, but it irritated the ninjas all around them, which wasn't a smart move.

A kunai rang through the air, and metal clashed against metal. Rena held another kunai in her hands, but in a more awkward position. It was pinched between her forefinger and her middle finger; for some reason, it felt comfortable, as if she had been doing it her entire life.

"Rena Hikari."

All eyes were on two figures. One had hair of pure white, the other hair of purple.

"We've been hunting for you for so long. It was only a matter of time before you were going to show up." The girl had harsher eyes than Gaara did; hatred lay in her eyes, and she had a snarl on her lips.

"And who might you be?" Rena asked, flipping the Kunai around in her fingers with skill and placing it in her pouch.

"That doesn't matter, now, does it? Don't you recognize the child of the married couple you murdered?" The hatred in her eyes grew unbearable for Rena, and she uncomfortably looked for another subject.

"Erm, miss? I believe we're the same age, which means that I couldn't have possibly killed your parents. I mean, I'd have to have been there at 6 years old, which is frankly impossible. I even have an alibi!" Rena attempted to make a joke out of it, and the white-haired girl narrowed her eyes.

"I see. My bad."

She walked back into the crowd of people, but Rena felt like she still believed that Rena had killed her parents.

Rena turned to give a smile to her companions to make sure they didn't worry, but as she did, a shuriken whizzed past her cheek, tearing into flesh.

She winced and the sting of pain took hold of her. She turned back to the white-haired girl.

"I am Kana. Kana Kage. You have made an enemy of several hundreds of people, including the Kage Clan. I was unsure at first, but the way you held that kunai almost confirmed it. Now I see that you are a dirty liar, and are simply playing the amnesiac. The pigmentation of your blood confirms who you truly are, you accursed monster." The look on the white-haired girl's face was hatred mixed with fear. Only a dash of pain made itself visible.

Rena placed a hand on her cheek, feeling the slightly thick liquid on her fingertips. The gash was deep, for a cut to the cheek, at least. Not deep enough to leave a scar, but it would take at least a week to heal.

She drew back her hand, and what she saw nearly made her faint from fear. She shook almost uncontrollably.

Her blood was neither red, nor blue, nor black.

It was a bright purple, and it stained her hands as if she had squeezed purple dye from a bottle.

"Why...?" She murmured. "Why is it this color?"

Gaara stared at the blood; it made him hungry. Why it was purple didn't matter, but this was by far the most beautiful blood he had ever seen. He knew if his sand consumed it, it may sate his bloodlust for eternity.

"That's the mark of the Hikari Clan's main branch. You freaks always have different colors of blood; the Hikari Second Branch has the color of yellow, while the Hikari Third Branch has the color of bright green. I should know; I've hunted down as many of the remaining ones as possible." Kana gave a nefarious grin, hoping that it would provoke Rena in some way, make her show her true colors.

"I'm not in a clan." Rena said, straightening up. Despite being fazed by her blood color, she would question that later. Right now, she needed to clear up any misunderstandings between her and this 'Kana'. "And if I was, I certainly wouldn't be born to the main branch. I've seen Sansa's blood before, and it's red. I was born in the Village Hidden in the Sand, and that's where I've always been." Her fists tightened. "I just barely qualify for the Chuunin Exams." By that, she meant she didn't qualify and had cheated her way in by forcing the Kazekage to make up makeshift missions that she had been on.

Meanwhile, Kabuto searched through his cards. This girl wasn't in them, and she hadn't been catalogued by Lord Orochimaru. Who was she? Orochimaru had a list of everyone in the Village Hidden in the Sand. She seemed familiar, thoug-

She was the child that had escaped Lord Orochimaru. The one that nobody had extra details for; they didn't even know what happened in the cell that Orochimaru had entered weekly. Kabuto remembered her well, from her frequent attempts to escape.

It seemed like she had finally done it. If he were to capture her again, perhaps... But it wouldn't work. There were too many people around. If he were to capture her, it would have to be in the chaos the Sand would create or afterwards. It was much too risky to try now.

Perhaps, then, Orochimaru would tell him of the details of this child's origin.

Kabuto wanted nothing more than to get his hands on that purple blood, even if it was only a drop.

"Tsk. That amnesia act is getting really old. Anyways, Luna Kage sends her regards; I'm sure you know her, don't you?"

"I really don't."

"Damn it, stop acting like you don't know! The day Rena Hikari would forget one of her siblings is the day she forfeits her will to live!"

"I don't have siblings!"

"You have several siblings, you idiot. You're just pretending not to remember!"

Kana sighed, out of sheer frustration. She wasn't going to deal with this; she didn't care if Luna got her sister's last words or not. She would kill Rena, return to Luna, and make up some sappy apology. What mattered here was revenge.

"Please, I have no idea what you're talking about. If you'd just explain-"

"There's nothing to explain." The glare Kana gave could rival Gaara's death glare. "The blood stained on your hands, although right now it may be your own, is more than enough to explain everything."

"Alright, break up your little argument." A man literally appeared in the middle of the room, as if he had teleported. It was unexpected. "I'm Ibiki, and I'll be your proctor today."

He had interrupted the fight, and in doing so, interrupted the curiosity of several ninjas. Their outburst was costly; it had gained Rena and Kana both the attention of several shinobi, and there was a certain intent that many of them had. They wanted to know more; such was the bounds of humane curiosity. And unfortunately, along with curiosity came the dangerous notion of having the power to find the answer.

**The Written Exams**

Rena's assigned seat happened to be next to Gaara's; there were certain rules to the written exams. She was easily writing. There were no issues. However, what gained her curiosity and caused her to stop writing, was Gaara's cheating tactics. She didn't quite understand what he was doing, but then she realized her teammates were waiting on her signal. Unfortunately, Gaara had caught her eye. He was rubbing his eye, as if he had sand in it. However, that was quite impossible, reason one being that Gaara controlled sand, and it went only where he wanted it to go.

Reason one was this room seemed to be extremely clean; Rena couldn't find even a speck of dust. This room was probably cleaned only minutes before people started to enter.

Yet another person had been caught cheating, and as they were dragged from the room, they began to complain and yell. Rena almost wanted to hit them, as the entire point of the exam was not to get caught. Her eyes moved to Marionetta, who was all the way across the room, and Cheshire, who was two rows back. It was time.

She flicked her pencil and it rolled off her desk. Leaning down to pick it up, a musical number began. She sat upright, glaring at Cheshire.

"Is that you? It better not be you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Cheshire said, giving a small grin. The music got louder, and everyone stopped writing.

"Are you joking?! You're gonna get us kicked out for distracting everyone! There's a time limit on this stuff, you know!"

"Keep it down up there!" Ibiki, the proctor, seemed to be upset with this; Rena was going to kill Cheshire. Was he really putting it all on the line?

"Can I please punch him? He's turned on music back here."

"Permission granted."

Rena stood up and gave Cheshire a good right hook. He crashed through the window, half of his body outside and half inside. It didn't seem like he'd be waking up anytime soon. "Damn it, I hit him too hard!"

Meanwhile, while all attention was on Rena and Cheshire, Marionetta made two handsigns.

"Chameleon Puppet!"

A small doll rolled across Rena's paper; Gaara noticed this. His eyes moved along the chakra strings; Marionetta was controlling it. What was she doing?

The words seemed to copy onto the puppet, and the doll quickly moved to Marionetta's paper. As it rolled across it, the words peeled off.

Smart. Rena was the collector, while Marionetta was the delivery girl. Cheshire had provided the distraction. Could Rena have possibly planned this in advance...? No, she wasn't... independent enough. But, neither were her teammates. Gaara wanted to know who came up with the plan. Even though it was a basic three-team deal, the distraction had been perfect.

"It seems like I punched too hard."

However, it seemed like Cheshire's paper was still blank. Rena walked over to him, dragging him across the floor. She stopped when the proctor addressed her.

"I don't think he'll be waking up any time soon."

"Oh, he will. I'm not getting disqualified because he's knocked out. Hey, Cheshire, if you don't wake up, then I'm gonna make sure all you eat for the rest of your life is kitty kibble."

This caused Cheshire to spring up, and almost mechanically walk to his seat.

As Cheshire sat, he started to write down words at a blindingly fast pace. He grinned. He may not be much for Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or Genjutsu, but he had a photographic memory; even when seeing a paper at a glance, he would never forget the words that had been written on it.

As Rena sat back, her duty to her teammates fulfilled, her mind was elsewhere. She wondered what Kana had meant by, 'The blood stained on your hands, although right now it may be your own, is more than enough to explain everything.' Why would Kana put emphasis on it being Rena's own blood? It thrust her deeper into the confines of her mind, making her withdraw.

By the time Rena had come back, Ibiki was talking about the tenth question and people were clearing out. Blondie was screaming about something.

Marionetta would stay; it wasn't her problem if she couldn't take the Chuunin Exams again. Cheshire didn't really care, as Rena would certainly have the answer. Unless Rena was dropping out, he wasn't.

"You have all passed the test." Ibiki's voice was straightforwards and powerful; it was clear he was a man of great influence. As he yammered on about the test's meaning Rena ignored him. She already understood well enough, and the fact that she passed made her feel fine enough not to need to ask questions.

A girl shot through the window, like any normal day. "I'm Anko, and I'll be your next proctor!"

Rena groaned through most of the instructions.

However, the one important thing was that there would be a Jonin who would show their teams to the next area tomorrow morning. Yay, an entire day of rest! This meant that Rena would be able to view the Hidden Leaf, and restock her weapons accordingly.

Later that night

**5:00PM**

"It's been an entire week." Rena murmured, staring up at the ceiling. Gaara was leaning against the wall of her room. He had decided that he'd be sleeping there tonight. "Soon, we'll be facing Death Forest."

"And...?" Gaara asked, his face empty of emotions. It had been a rough past week. Everything had been rough. It was made clear to her that Gaara always had something on his mind, that he was always upset.

"And, I can't possibly imagine what's going to happen there. I mean, cheating in the written test was probably the easiest part. What if one of us dies in there?"

"Then they die."

Gaara walked over to the bed, lying down on top of it and giving her a cold stare. Rena backed up against the wall and he seemed to only get closer. She sighed, and moved closer to him. Surprisingly, unlike his cold personality, he was very warm. Gently, she placed her face against him; his collarbone was radiating a lot of heat.

Gaara said nothing and made no movement to stop her; instead, he watched her with curiosity. Anyone else would have stayed against the wall, and perhaps ran out of the room. However, she moved to be closer, rather than apart. He'd allow this, but only until the morning. She was pathetic, and trembling. Not from fear of him, but fear of what would come tomorrow.

Yes, she was extremely pathetic. That was why he needed to change her, to make her like him. That would stop her from being so disgustingly pathetic. He would be the only one who she was loyal to; he'd be the only one who ordered her to do anything. Yes, this pathetic girl, clinging to him as if she had nothing better to do; trembling before him, but not because of him.

It almost made his bloodlust rocket; thinking of her crying, thinking of her suffering. He almost lost himself, almost began to tremble himself.

Love meant nothing to him. He had no use for it. But her? He had use for her. He'd use her forever.

That was enough for him.

**8:00AM**

**Death Forest Field**

Rena stared at the giant fence in front of her. Gate 16 was all hers to enter along with Cheshire and Marionetta. Gaara had gotten gate 6. Gaara approached her from the side, looking to converse with her one last time before they entered the Death Forest. This may be the end of her journey. She had her Earth Scroll, and would definitely heed the warnings. She wasn't one to let curiosity get the better of her; some things were better off remaining in the darkness.

She turned to him, and he remained silent.

"Please wait for me when you get in there." Rena murmured, turning to Gaara with a sullen look on her face. "I... don't want to be in this alone. Even if I may have Cheshire and Marionetta, I feel better when I'm with all of you."

He knew what this was; it was loneliness. Surely Rena couldn't believe whatever Kana had to say about her; it was pure insanity. Gaara didn't understand either, and he knew the ache of loneliness so well. However, it was no longer a feeling he acknowledged. It didn't exist inside of him, and he wouldn't let it creep back into his life now.

"I'm not going to wait." Gaara turned away from her. "But we will find each other." He sauntered off to his gate; the Chuunin Exams were about to truly begin. Marionetta stood by Rena's side.

"Can you give me details?"

"If we choose to power ahead without stopping, then we should be able to reach Gaara in less than an hour. If the shinobi we prey on are particularly weak, then we should be able to reach him faster. This is a rough estimate." Marionetta's calculations seemed accurate enough.

"Now, give me the threat value of the shinobi we may face."

"Rock Lee, trained by the Blue Beast of the Leaf, Gai Sensei. Despite his almost goofy demeanor, Rock Lee is skilled in Taijutsu. One would even go as far as to call him a specialist, although I don't believe there's much special about him. Shikamaru Nara is an expert tactician. Not quite on Sansa's level, but he is on par with me in terms of intelligence. He shouldn't be too much of a threat as long as we don't run into him. Unlike me, he is not meant for collecting intelligence and doesn't seem to be putting effort into this. However, he can do massive damage to us if he does manage to get his hands on us."

Rena turned to Marionetta. Those two were probably the most threatening in the field; Tweets sat on Marionetta's shoulder. Marionetta had seemingly trained the bird as a spy, and even went as far as to teach it some sort of language for them to be able to communicate. The knowledge that Marionetta could attain was probably the best in the entire exams; nobody else would be able to do better.

"Neji Hyuuga seems intimidating, but if we were to combine our Jutsu, we would easily be able to remove him from the Exams. He's not much of a threat, provided we stay together. Sasuke Uchiha, although strong, does not seem to be at his greatest potential; However, Gaara is interested in him, which means something. He also detected me in his home."

"You entered Sasuke Uchiha's home?"

"I did."

"What was it like?"

"Very neat, clean and orderly, as if nobody else was living there. He detected me on the second day. He wasn't particularly angry and he did not attack me. He simply told me to leave, and that he would not report this to the Hokage."

"Why would he not report you to the Hokage?"

"I do not know. Knowledge of Sasuke Uchiha is inefficient, and this seems to be out of his character."

Rena sighed, and Gate 16 made a buzzing noise. It slowly rattled open, exposing the forest before them. There was a small dirt path. Rena looked down it.

"Marionetta, calculate the possibility of running into shinobi if we take the path." She gave Cheshire a signal, and his tail wrapped around his leg. He skulked into the forest, his ears pricked up, hearing everything within a 60 meter radius.

"There's a 67% chance the shinobi we shall run into will be one of the aforementioned avoid-at-all-costs."

"Then, the trees it is."

They were in the trees, jumping from branch to branch at the fastest speed they could go. Rena gave another one of her signals, and they stopped, circling around a clearing.

There was a team of shinobi; they didn't seem to be from the Leaf, but rather, the Sand. Rena recognized them as a group that had entered too. She apologized in her head, but gave Cheshire and Marionetta a nod to set up an ambush. Quietly, while masking her steps, Rena jumped down three branches until she was hanging directly over the person who seemed to be the team leader.

They were having a conversation.

"Dude, I gotta go. I really, really gotta go."

"Can't you hold it? We're almost there."

"No, we're really not."

The leader sighed. "Fine, go."

The shinobi ran off into the bushes, and Rena watched Cheshire strike the shinobi down quickly. Nothing serious, only knocking them out. He had succeeded. Marionetta pulled at the strings of a puppet; one that unmasked itself from her back. Her favorite Jutsu was her Chameleon Jutsu, in which she could mask her puppets as the same background, and even rub it off like paint. She cast the Jutsu once more, and the puppet blended in. Both Rena and Marionetta hung from the trees; they had to get their timing perfect. As Rena dropped from above and landed on the leader, quickly pressing a pressure point, Marionetta cut down the other member of the team. Rena sifted through their pack, retrieving the scroll they needed.

"Damn it, it's the same scroll as ours! We need a Heaven Scroll!" She exclaimed, holding it up in the air to show them their greatest failure yet. Cheshire exited the bushes, sweeping leaves off of his shoulders.

"That was almost disappointing, for my first real battle!" He complained. "Can't we target someone more exciting?"

"Cheshire, we are not here to play. We must take into consideration time control and the fact we could be ambushed by stronger shinobi." Marionetta's form of scolding was more a touch of logic with a taste of disapproval.

"Fine, fine. Where to next, Rena?~" He jovially skipped around, looting kunai and weapons from the bodies. He also took whatever yen the shinobi had on them.

"I believe that Gaara is heading north, so we must head slightly northwest. If we do that, our paths should collide and therefore we can team up. I'm sure there'll be another team of shinobi that we can ambush on the way; we only need the Heaven Scroll. We better not make this mistake again and accidentally grab an Earth Scroll once more." Rena was up in the trees in a flash; she beckoned to her two teammates. Little did she know, the scroll she was carrying would summon a personal hell.

They continued onwards for thirty minutes without any sign of another shinobi; Marionetta continued making inconclusive conclusions.

Then, a familiar burst of chakra caused Rena to quickly jump from the trees onto the ground. Temari held her fan at the ready, almost prepared to attack Rena if necessary. Upon seeing who it was, however, she lowered her fan and gave a sigh of relief. "Damn, it's only you. Don't freak me out like that."

"I found you guys! In less than an hour, too. Marionetta was right! Unfortunately, we don't have the final scroll." Rena gave a halfhearted shrug, and Marionetta and Cheshire descended to the ground on either side of her. "How are you doing?"

"We have 4 scrolls, 2 of each. You can take one of ours, if you want." Temari gestured to Gaara. "We've just been leaving them behind now. There's literally no point to taking any more; we might as well save some for other Genins who wanna pass."

There was that confidence.

Gaara walked towards Rena, handing her the final scroll required to pass the exams.

A earthquake rocked the ground they were standing on and the earth split into six quarters, thrusting them all into different directions.

Rena slammed against the trunk of a tree, the impact causing her to cough up a small amount of blood. The pain was almost unbearable; she had no time to prepare, and she felt as if something had fallen on her. Shuriken came from all directions, and Rena just barely dodged them, sliding downwards. Where her head had been, there was nothing but metal embedded in wood.

She was still winded from being thrown into the tree, and she couldn't move. More shuriken were hurled at her from a distance, and she closed her eyes, bracing for the impact. Hopefully she'd live through it, but it was more than unlikely.

Seconds later, she heard the sound of a very welcome voice.

"Sand coffin."

A scream came from whoever had been throwing shurikens at her; she opened her eyes, and a wall of sand separated her and her savior.

"Sand burial."

A rain of red graced the sky, and droplets of blood found their way onto her skin and clothing. It would certainly stain the fabric red.

Gaara's sand flowed back into his gourd, and he was revealed as it slowly eroded away. He took strides towards her, and offered her his hand. "Are you injured?"

She was surprised; he really wasted no time in doing things. He was a very straightforward type, maybe even more so than Ibiki.

Rena took Gaara's hand, and it was much to her surprise when her right leg collapsed on her. There was a small whimper from her mouth, and both of them looked to the source of the pain.

"It's a shuriken." Rena said, staring at the thing embedded in her leg. It looked deep. Well, Gaara couldn't save her from everything. She stuck her finger through the shuriken's hole, and attempted to rip it out, resulting in extreme pain. "Damn it!" She was almost screaming. "It's a barbed freaking shuriken! These things are supposed to be banned from the exams."

Gaara extended his arm to Rena's mouth, and she gave him a confused look.

"Bite me. I'll do it."

"Gaara, I'm not going to-"

"If you bite me, it will hurt less. Either way, I'm going to rip that out of your leg. Also, if you screamed any louder, we'd have shinobi tracking us down faster than we could escape." It would be fine. Just because Rena bit him, it didn't mean his existence would be gone. Even if she drew blood, he would be fine. If it was her, there was no danger. She was no threat...

He felt a strange feeling on his arm as Rena gently grazed her teeth against his arm. She looked like a rabbit; he was the wolf. The look on her face was one of fear, fear of pain. Gaara had never felt physical pain; she was one of the first to give him a sample. A sample he was slightly addicted to.

He took hold of the shuriken, and her look was enough to make him rip it from her flesh. However, instead of biting down, Rena held her jaw open to the point where her teeth gently tickled his flesh. She was crying, and the pain was most likely one of the worst she had ever experienced.

"Why didn't you bite me?" He was slightly upset that she didn't obey him, but she didn't scream, so he guessed it was fine.

"I'm not going to be the one to hurt you first. I don't want to see your blood, Gaara."

He didn't want to see his blood, either.

"Surely it was painful."

"As painful as painful can be, but if what people have been saying is true, you've never been hit before... other than the time at the park."

"That didn't hurt." It was true, it was a soft hit. Nothing that he couldn't handle, as she didn't want to hurt him. She didn't break skin; she didn't erase his existence.

She wouldn't erase his existence. He'd erase hers first.

He removed bandages from one of the small pockets in his pants, and wrapped her leg. He began to walk forwards, expecting her to catch up, but she stood and fell again.

"I don't think I can walk. It's a really deep wound."

Why was this girl such a thorn in his side, to keep him waiting like this?

He turned around, and realized that to hold her in any particular way would slow him down more than help him. And so, he thought of the easiest way to carry her. He kneeled in front of her, his back to her. "Get on."

"But, Gaara..."

"I'll leave you here."

She quickly got on his back, and he rose to his feet. She was very light and almost weighed nothing at all. Gaara wondered if she had issues with eating. He walked forwards, and she held on to him.

"Gaara, what happened to you?"

He tensed up. This was not a topic that he wanted to get into.

"Several things."

"But what in particular?"

"Stop attempting to get into my life. You're the one who abandoned it, so you don't deserve to know what happened." It was petty, but he still held a grudge. How could she leave him when he needed her most? The fact that the assassin sent after him was his uncle; the fact he learned he was a curse; the fact he learned that nobody loved him was too much for him. And where was she all that time? Not there. Not with him.

She could rot for all he cared.

But he wouldn't let her rot. No, he was going to make her the same as him. That's the only result he'd accept, the only way he'd forgive her. Her only way of redemption was to lose hope.

The teams had regrouped in the meadow, and their companions ran to their side.

"That's a lot of blood." Kankuro said, alarmed. He was right, it was. The bandage was soaked purple, and it was dripping onto the ground in large globs. The bleeding didn't seem to be ready to stop just yet. Everyone wore worried looks on their faces, and they didn't seem interested in what happened. They just wanted to get medical attention and have a rest.

"The final area is just beyond this meadow. Let's go." Gaara pressed forwards, making sure Rena didn't slip from his grasp. Kankuro wanted to offer to carry Rena, but it seemed like that wound was too painful to try moving her from one person to another. It looked pretty serious.

"This is definitely going to become a scar." Rena muttered. "As if I didn't have enough of those already." She buried her face in Gaara's neck, and his fever came back. He felt a little drowsy, despite his heart, which beat faster than ever before. She was in his arms, and she wasn't letting go. She wasn't afraid, even though he may be the one to kill her someday.

"Scars prove you've survived."

"But you don't have a single one."

"I don't need them; I've never been hit."

"It's unfair. Your skin is perfect and beautiful. Despite the fact you're seemingly always in the sun because you live in a freaking desert, it's pale and fair."

"I don't tan."

They finally reached the area required; Cameras panned across and watched their every move. They were the first ones there.

**~First Day, First Arrival~**

**The Tower**

"Damn, I don't think that there's anyone other than us here." Kankuro said. "This could potentially be a problem. Doesn't Rena need medical attention? Also, I'm starving."

"I don't think they'd leave us to starve if we got to the tower. I'm pretty sure there has to be a vending machine or something around here." Rena said, laughing. She winced from the pain, however, and Gaara glanced at the wound. The bandages were soaked with blood; she'd faint from blood loss, should they continue any further without treating the wound again. However, he mentioned nothing. Her weight was boring down on him, not that he'd show it. Weakness meant nothing to a shinobi.

"Just like I thought, there's no other place to go!" Kankuro said, annoyed. They were approaching a familiar room.

"We've already waited half a day, how much longer are they going to make us wait?" Temari muttered. Patience wasn't one of her strong suits, not when it came to battle.

Gaara remained silent, carrying Rena on his back as they walked. Cheshire and Marionetta were conserving energy.

"Hm?" Kankuro's attention was caught by three Hidden Leaf shinobi. He almost pitied them; they had to stay in the same place as his brat of a brother for five days. They watched as the three passed by, and this, in turn, caught Gaara's attention. This chakra was familiar to him. It had been the ones in the bushes, the ones who were terrified of him. The ones who had seen him kill.

His eyes slightly moved to the side, his bloodlust quenched for now. Even if it was never enough, he still had to take into account the fact that Rena was there. Even if his sand were to consume the three, Rena was weighing down his arms.

The three gasped as Gaara watched them, frozen in fear. Gaara's eyes moved back into place, casting downwards. Kankuro carried Gaara's gourd.

Meanwhile, in a room in an undisclosed location, one of the exam proctors stood with two ANBU and a Chuunin.

They were shocked at Gaara being unscarred; even though the girl on his back was beat up pretty bad, he didn't have a scratch on him. In fact, there wasn't even dirt. There was a small amount of purple liquid on his hand, but it became clear to Anko that it was blood. The girl's bandage was soaked with it; there was no doubt she'd be dead by the end of the five days with such a serious injury.

Anko almost felt bad for the girl.

Especially because the only look in the boy's eyes was one of pure evil.

The six had picked a room to rest in; there was no other option, unless they wanted to be with the Hidden Leaf Genin, which they really didn't want to. Marionetta and Cheshire conked out, but Rena wasn't doing all that well. She had a rising fever, and the wound was obviously infected, as they hadn't cleaned it.

Temari was caring for her, but as the night dragged on, it became apparent that Temari needed sleep just as much as the rest of her teammates. Since she had changed the bandage, it had gotten just as soaked with blood as before. It was even dripping.

Gaara stood from where he was sitting. Kankuro had dozed off, unable to compete with Temari and Gaara's endurance. He kneeled beside Rena's side. "I'll take it from here."

"Thank you, Gaara." Temari said, quietly. She was glad that Gaara was showing some signs of caring; the argument that the Sand Siblings had been in today was almost lethal. From Gaara declaring he didn't see Kankuro as a big brother, to threatening Kankuro's life, and finally, Temari intervening and asking Gaara to stop as a favor to his big sister tired her out. No doubt, tomorrow would be the same. Just as dangerous, just as full of an impatient Gaara. As she lay down to sleep on the cold floor, she instantly conked out.

"I'm sorry..." Rena gave a weak smile. She was probably in a lot of pain. Gaara simply ignored her, and peeled off her bandages, which had become infused with her wound. Her fingernails dug into the ground, and she gave a quiet yelp.

It looked bad; there was no doubt that it had room to get worse, though. Gaara rolled up his sleeves. He had been taught basic first aid, as any shinobi had. He removed his water canteen from one of his many pockets, and dumped water on the wound. He carried a small disinfectant poultice, made in the Hidden Sand by able medical shinobi.

Now came the more difficult and painful part, on Rena's side. Gaara's hands touched the wound without warning, and Rena bit back a scream.

He had to get inside the wound, to make sure the disinfectant spread would truly work. His fingers dug inside, and the bleeding got worse. Rena's screams were progressively getting louder, despite being muffled. She was biting into her hand, causing further bleeding and damage.

He withdrew his fingers, and walked over to Kankuro. He placed his bloody fingers on the bag around Kankuro's waist, and withdrew some bandages. Surely Kankuro wouldn't mind the bloodstains.

Gaara returned to Rena, tightly wrapping the bandages around her leg. She winced, and the bloodflow remained. However, it was more important that they focused on keeping the wound clean rather than closed. He took Rena's hand, and wrapped bandages around the bleeding bitemarks. She was exhausted.

Gaara didn't know what to do with her beyond that, so perhaps she needed to lie down? However, instead of falling back, she seemed to fall forwards. He caught her, and it was clear that she had fainted.

Nobody was watching, so he assumed it was safe. Some of his gourd broke away from the rest, turning to more malleable sand. It slowly swirled around Rena's leg, and tightened as it made impact. To stop the bleeding was now his goal, but he shouldn't put more pressure than required, as he could potentially liquefy her leg. Pressing down with the sand, he did so until the blood only slowed to a trickle.

She slept in his arms for hours, and he watched. There was nothing better for him to do, regardless. However, he placed her head against his leg, and put his back to the wall. Soon, it would be yet another day of waiting.

~ Day 2 ~

~ Morning ~

"We have to go back out there. There's no food here, which means that we probably have to go out and get some."

"But that means we could potentially run into more of the contestants."

"There's a good chance that anyone who we need to worry about is already here. The weaker ones and the stronger ones alike will be camping out in the trees at the fifth day; no doubt the second day will be wasted on ambushing teams. They probably used last night as a set-up, and today, they'll either be busy fighting or foraging."

Rena woke up to the sound of arguing and bickering; it was the Sand Siblings. Marionetta and Cheshire were still exhausted, as they had never ran 10 kilometers in a day, and would most likely spend the rest of the day sleeping.

Gaara turned to Rena; it seemed like she had awakened. The Sand Siblings had a problem. None of them knew how to survive in a forested environment, let alone what plants were and weren't poisonous, as the plants in the Land of Wind were different. Also, catching fish wasn't exactly their forte.

"Are you guys hunting for food? I'd ask to come, but I'd only be a liability." She winced at her own insult.

"Actually, I myself was going to take a bath out in one of the many waterbeds. I feel all disgusting and sweaty. The guys are actually the ones who are gonna forage for food." Temari pointed at Kankuro and Gaara. Gaara showed no emotion, but he was extremely annoyed. He despised water; what wasn't stopping him from killing both Temari and Kankuro at this moment? Then again, he did need to eat. He was only human, as much as he despised the prospect. He wouldn't kill them at the current moment, but it was definitely a future goal. "In fact, we should bathe and hunt at the same time."

"Are you saying we should all...?" Rena's face turned red.

"Shinobi and Kunochi have no shame. Besides, we're like family, right?" Temari gave a small smile; she had no idea about how Kankuro felt, and while he remained normal on the outside, on the inside he was screaming and running around the room triumphantly.

However, Rena wasn't embarrassed. In fact, she was terrified. She was extremely uncomfortable with her body in the first place, so there was an issue here. Her body was ugly and scarred, a type of monster she didn't want to show anyone.

_Only I may love you._

_Do you honestly think anyone else would?_

_After seeing what you really are?_

Rena's eyes widened. What... was that? Was that a memory of hers? But she didn't recall it. It was there in a flash, but then it was gone. However, those words were extremely familiar. Could someone have said that to her, once...? But wouldn't she remember something like that?

She grabbed her arm, digging her nails into the fabric of her shirt. The sleeves were alike to a kimono's, but her shoulders were visible. In fact, her shirt was strangely turquoise. She wore shorts that barely reached past her knees, a pitch black that clung to her skin perfectly.

"I think I'd rather wait until we got back to a place that has showers." She said, denying taking a bath of any kind where people could see her.

"You don't actually have much of a choice; we can't afford to get picky. You need to get better, and there doesn't seem to be any medical supplies here, nor anyone that could help us. You need to get clean." Temari refused to leave her alone; it seemed like Rena wouldn't be able to get out of this. Admittedly, she knew she needed a bath. But, for them to see her scars... honestly, she'd rather die, or let her wound be infected further. "Kankuro, can you support Rena by carrying her? If she walks now, her wound will most likely start bleeding a lot more than it is at the moment." In fact, Rena's wound should have still been bleeding a massive amount. Could Gaara have applied pressure to prevent more blood from leaking out?

The four were ready to go; they'd bring some food back for Cheshire and Marionetta. Kankuro picked Rena up, bridal-style. She wrapped her arm around his neck. Kankuro's face was red, as he didn't expect this type of thing to happen. Was their relationship moving too fast? His heart was hammering away in his chest.

Gaara's eyes snapped to this; for some reason, he was angry. Annoyed and angry. He'd simply ignore it, though. He had no time for killing Kankuro at the moment.

They walked out of the door, towards whatever spring was closest... and uninhabited by ninja. They had left their scrolls behind, with Marionetta and Cheshire, and they had Gaara, so anyone who attempted to attack them would be extremely sorry.

**An Hour Later**

They had finally found a small spring in which there were plenty of fish; Gaara despised water, but he didn't like being dirty even more. He removed his gourd, leaning it against a rock. Kankuro had already begun to strip; he'd have to reapply his makeup. Temari was behind a rock herself, helping Rena get undressed. As she got off Rena's shirt, her eyes widened. Rena uncomfortably covered her scars from Temari's view.

"There's so many..." Temari murmured, gazing at several of them. "I don't think even that Ibiki guy has that many scars." Rena was extremely uncomfortable. Temari gave her a small smile. "I see why you didn't want to take a bath with everyone."

"The scars get worse as you go down to my legs." Rena admitted, looking down. Temari sighed.

"I understand why you're self-conscious, but we need to get your wound cleaned."

"I know."

Meanwhile, Kankuro had stripped to his underwear. He had forgotten his hat, however, and jumped into the spring without thinking about it, which caused several events to be put into motion; event one, Kankuro's hat floating to the top of the water. Event two, Kankuro's makeup washing off in the river. Event three, Rena being pushed from the top of the cliff face. Event four, Gaara catching her with his sand.

Gaara had been watching with his third eye, and he realized that she didn't want anyone to see her. He wrapped her in sand, covering her body from sight. He gently put her down in the shallows, the sand still surrounding her. Temari jumped in, a cannonball.

It soaked the sand, and due to the heaviness of mud, he had to put her down. He still couldn't control sand when it was wet, and it pissed him off. The mud slowly dripped off of Rena, and he began to see scars, on scars, on scars. She wasn't naked, but the scars on her hips alone were more than any he'd seen before. What kind of things had she been subjected to before she came back to the Hidden Sand?

Kankuro resurfaced, and attempted to take a glance at Rena...but a wall of sand separated him and his sweet, sweet Rena, and her sweet, sweet body.

Rena self-consciously hid her body with her arms, staring at Gaara, who couldn't look away from the scars. "Please, stop looking at me." Self-control was not Gaara's strong suit, but he looked away regardless. He gently lowered her into the water, not caring whether his sand became mud or not. Temari's fan separated her and Kankuro; Kankuro gulped.

"Rena would prefer that you guys keep your distance." She directed the words more at Kankuro than Gaara, as... well, there's no possible way that Gaara would be interested in the female body. However, Kankuro was a given; he'd been caught spying before.

"Damn it!" Kankuro muttered, under his breath. He slicked his hair back, annoyed that it was in his face. This was why he normally wore his hat. Temari gave a glare, and it was enough to shut him up.

Day 3

Kankuro, Temari, Gaara and Rena had collected enough food to last them for about four more days. Marionetta and Cheshire had woke them all up and pointed at their room's strange white board; it had only one number on it, '5'. They had all presumed what it had meant, and in the end, they assumed that the number meant that on day 5, something would happen.

Rena's leg was doing better, but the wound was deep and she needed medical attention, stat. If they could last 2 more days, then that would be perfect; however, while Rena's wound got better, her fever got worse. By the time that everyone was up and moving around, Rena was bedridden and unable to awaken. Temari was reading a book, eating a couple berries from a container. Their water canteens were full, which meant that they'd be able to handle themselves without needing to go out to a stream again.

She seemed to also be having nightmares; as her sickness furthered itself, her condition got worse. By 9:00PM, Temari wondered if she would ever wake up again. They had cleaned and disinfected the wound, but could she have caught a sickness only found in the Hidden Leaf?

Rena's fever was worse than heat stroke. She was extremely sick, and at this point, she would be for a long time.

"Why isn't she getting better?" Gaara muttered to himself, but Temari's attention was caught. Maybe that should be the question she should be asking herself, rather than thinking about how sick she was. Rena should be getting better by now, no doubt. They had even taken all the steps... but she was getting worse.

Marionetta sat by Rena's side. "We don't have a medical ninja. We can't tell what's wrong with her unless we do."

"Don't you have something like this in your data banks?" Cheshire asked, frowning.

"No."

It was a short, simple answer, and yet it was enough to crush hope.

It was Gaara's turn to change the bandage again, as Kankuro had done it this morning, while Temari had done it in the afternoon. They couldn't take much more of this waiting.

**Day 4**

It was apparent that if Rena didn't get medical attention, she was going to die. Gaara doubted that she'd be alive by the end of the day. The tension in the room was off the charts; they hadn't left to see the rest of the competition, but there had to be someone who could help out there. It was the fourth day, and they needed help.

"It would compromise the mission." Kankuro whispered, in a hushed answer. "We can't go asking the Hidden Leaf for help with this."

"We can't just leave her to die," Temari hissed.

"And we can't just abandon our mission for one kunoichi!"

Although Kankuro cared deeply for Rena, he knew that the Village weighed against one kunoichi's life was an easy scale; it would always be the village.

There were several reasons for Kankuro's reaction, and although Temari didn't blame him, he could be a little less heartless, especially when it came to other people.

"All we have to do is keep her alive for one more day. That's our priority at the moment."

"Gaara?!" Much to their shock, Gaara took control. He was sick of the endless fighting; their voices were beginning to make him want to kill everything in a 6 kilometer vicinity.

"Even you two can't mess up when it comes to something like this."

**Day 5**

The three had fallen asleep next to Rena; she seemed to be doing slightly better from all their attention and care. Their fatigue was washed away, but Rena was still sick. Even if she hadn't gotten any worse, it really didn't seem like it was getting better. Temari gasped.

"Gaara, Kankuro, look!" Temari pointed to the board that once held a '5' on it. "If qualities of heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. If earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack. When heaven and earth are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever. This 'blank' is the secret way that guides us from this place today."

"Blank? What the hell is blank supposed to mean?" Kankuro growled. He was done with puzzles in general. He was also done with sick people.

"Don't freaking ask me, it's not from the Hidden Sand." Temari's annoyance was through the roof; she just wanted this thing to be over. She wanted Rena to be okay, but with every passing second, their chances dimmed.

"They're telling us to open our 'Heaven' and 'Earth' scrolls." Gaara said, brandishing the two in one of his hands. He opened them without restraint, and as the summoning jutsu began, threw them on the floor. He crossed his arms; he was in a bad mood.

A single figure emerged from the mist.

"Baki?!" Temari's surprise was equal to Kankuro's. Gaara showed no emotion.

"Yeah." He glanced around the room, taking in the Hidden Leaf's architecture. "You might want to open Rena's scroll, too."

"Since Rena seems to be a bit caught up, I'll do it." Cheshire took the scrolls from Marionetta and ripped them open without hesitation; he was probably more worried than the Sand Siblings combined.

Throwing them to the ground, a figure stepped out of the smoke. Her headband hung from her neck, scratched and scuffed. She had a cigarette on her lip, and a hand on her hip. She wore shorts and a small black tank top, bandages extending from her torso to her thumbs. She gave a devious grin, and her crystal blue eyes surveyed the area, as Baki's had. Her shoulder-length black hair swayed in a draft that came from one of the many cracks in the walls.

"The fuck took you all so long?" She muttered, biting down on the cigarette.

The voice of her sensei Sansa made Rena spring to life, as a groan escaped her lips. This was the woman with an immense swearing problem, Sansa Hikari. It seemed as if she had gotten worse, but Sansa was impossible to hate. Without Sansa, Rena would have never even interacted with Gaara in the first place. Even now, Rena remembered Sansa's words of wisdom to her ineptly.

'Judging a book by its cover is like callin' the Kazekage a shithead. They're both impractical and most likely gonna get ya killed. At the worst, maimed.'

Although her speech was rough, she was wise. She was also Rena's mother.

"You little fuck! You never even came to see me, you little shit!" Sansa was extremely pissed off; maybe it was the screaming that cued Rena in. Her addiction to swearing was definitely worse. "I had to go to the Kazekage and scream 'bout a few things, and even then, I 'ad to deal with this big fucker over 'ere!"

She thrust a thumb towards Baki, who almost chuckled. They went way back; back before Baki became the sensei of the Sand Siblings.

"So, Baki," Rena struggled to sit upwards, "Has Sansa changed any?"

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here! I'll gut you!"

"Nope, but we don't call her the Sand's Devil Tactician for nothing. When you disappeared, she entered the regular troops and worked her way up to the top, becoming the head of the Sand's Black Ops."

"Hey! When you describe my life in six years, you don't just leave out some fucking details!" Sansa pointed an accusatory finger at Baki. He sighed, and gave a half-hearted shrug.

"And she also became my Fiancée."

Rena's mouth dropped, almost to the floor. This was an unexpected turnaround; she never thought they were interested in each other like that. After all, Baki was quiet, while Sansa was loud.

"Anyways, Baki basically supported me when you decided to go an' disappear. I looked for you every day, kiddo." Her voice was sad. This was surprising, as Sansa usually showed care in the form of violence. Normally by punching people. "And.. woah, you look like you've taken some damage. Let me take a look at 'cha." She walked over to Rena, examining her. "What the hell have you guys been feeding her, half-cooked meat?"

"Raw meat, actually."

"She's got food poisonin'. Now, this ain't gonna be pretty, so you might wanna look away. However, after we're done, yer gonna feel great."

Sansa proceeded to make Rena throw up three times.

After doing the procedure, she turned her attention to the leg that Rena had injured. She removed the bandage, placing her hands just above the injury. "Healing Sparrow Technique! Waking Sparrow!" A blue light emitted from Sansa's hands and bathed Rena's leg in warmth, and the injury slowly came to a close. Sansa was famous in the Hidden Sand for her special healing jutsus; the Healing Sparrow Techniques. There were exactly four of them, all developed by Sansa herself.

Sansa froze, all the hairs on the back of her neck raising. Much to her shock, she felt a chakra that she never expected to feel in the first place. "Impossible," She whispered, blood draining from her face. Her eyes were gazing past Rena, at a certain someone who seemed to be exploring several of the rooms.

Kana Kage and her team seemed to be intruding in whatever rooms they could possibly find. They were accompanied by a Jonin, but Rena had never seen him before, anywhere. Kana's team consisted of two females and one male. Her eyes were empty, and yet filled with desire. A yearning for blood, something Gaara understood more than anyone else.

"Rena Hikari. I am looking forwards to killing you."

Sansa's concentration broke, and the healing bubble dissipated. Luckily, the healing process was complete. She was normally skilled when it came to detecting enemies, but these ones had certain ninja tools that stopped them from being detected by certain...people.

Kana and her team strutted past Sansa, and towards another area. Rena turned to Sansa, hoping that Sansa knew what was going on, but at the same time, wishing she didn't.

"Sansa, do you know her?" Rena asked, dreading the answer.

"No." Sansa answered quickly. "I've never seen her in my life."

Rena nodded, but in reality, she wondered why Sansa would lie to her.

"Anyways, you little shit, why would you agitate someone to the point of them wanting to kill you? You're such a damn burden."

"I love you too, Sansa."


	3. The Mask Breaks

There were several things in Rena's mind as she stared at the board which held the names of the contestants. Several people had dropped out, leaving just enough for the battle. Most were extremely eager to fight, but Gaara was unsettlingly quiet, even more so than usual.

As the names finally came to a grinding halt yet again, everyone watched with anticipation to see who the third set of fighters were.

"Cheshire Cat versus Kana Kage."

Kana jumped down from the side of the railing she was on, fully ready to take on her challenger. Cheshire put a single foot on the railing, glaring at Kana.

"I'm not going to go easy on you. I have to get to the finals, so I can fight that monster!" She pointed to Rena.

"In order to protect Rena, I'm gonna have to put you out of commission."

"Cheshire, wait!" Rena almost grabbed his hand, but he pulled away before she could. "You really, really can't do this!"

"Marionetta, can you please shut Rena up? I gotta do this."

"Cheshire, you can-" Marionetta's hand had an iron grip, and it clamped down on Rena's mouth. Another hand twisted both hands behind her back.

"Unfortunately, this is a matter of pride. I cannot allow you to stop Cheshire; this is his wish, and it must be fulfilled." Rena gave Marionetta a glare.

The proctor gave a small cough, and raised his hand in the air. He brought it down. "I want a good, clean fight. Now, go!"

Cheshire shot forwards; Kana began to make a handsign, but Cheshire didn't let it happen. Instead, he kicked her wrist and did a small turn, kicking her other wrist. She made an angry face, sliding backwards.

Marionetta finally let go of Rena, and the battle got heated. Rena was stricken with worry.

Kana once again started to make a handsign, but Cheshire interrupted her with a punch to the face.

"Marionetta, you know Cheshire is less than average at not only Taijutsu, but Genjutsu and Ninjutsu too! He's the equal of a jutsu-less ninja! He only has his Specialty Jutsu!"

"What?!" Temari seemed shocked; how could there be a jutsu-less shinobi? It was impossible. If it was true, he was literally a punching bag in the arena! Gaara scoffed. Rena's teammates were more pathetic than she was.

"I see. This will be over quickly, then." Kana made three handsigns. "Earth Style: Earth Pike!" Earth sprung from the ground, towards Cheshire. However, from his stance, it seemed like he had every intention of taking the hit.

He crossed his arms, focusing his chakra to certain points in his body. "Art of the Cat... Cat Release!"

His tail uncurled from his leg, and his ears sprung from his head. Because of his low chakra, he couldn't always let his cat features show. They upped his physical and mental abilities by 50%, but sucked chakra out like no tomorrow.

He shot forwards, over the pikes. His speed was enhanced by 10%, and his strength, by 25%. His reflexes were also enhanced by 15%. He landed on his hands and kicked Kana in the stomach, making her fly backwards.

"Not as quickly as you'd like to think, meow."

Kana slapped a hand over her mouth, her entire body trembling. She was about to burst out into laughter.

"What are you doing, meow?"

"Why the hell are you meowing?"

"It's part of the package, meow."

"This is freaking hilarious. Just when I think I've seen everything, Rena Hikari's team blows it all out of proportion."

"Shut up, meow!"

Kana couldn't help it. She burst into laughter, almost rolling across the floor. Cheshire descended on her, relentless. He hated it when people laughed at him. Even now, he could remember memories that weren't even his. Endless laughter, endless failure. He punched Kana in the face, and she was no longer smiling.

"You're going to regret that, kitty cat." Kana snarled. She was the team leader; if she lost to... to this idiotic henchman, she'd never be able to face Lady Luna again! She could taste the disappointment from it already. She couldn't fail Luna again. If she did... well, things wouldn't go nicely for her.

Kana ran at Cheshire, making three handsigns. "Earth Style: Earth Pike!"

The pikes came up again, but when Cheshire jumped, Kana was there to knock him down. She hit him three more times, and he slammed into the side of one of the pikes. She wound back, and he barely dodged another punch, which caused a massive hole in the rock.

Cheshire was easily outmatched by Kana; even now, he was at his limit. His chakra was done for, and he couldn't keep up the Art of the Cat. His ears flipped forwards, into his hair, and his tail recurled around his leg.

Quickly, Kana went in for the final move; she knocked him out with a punch to the face. He slid backwards, staying down. Just as the proctor was about to announce the winner, however...

Kana walked towards Cheshire, placing a single foot on his neck. She gave a small smile in Rena's direction, and then put pressure into her foot. Rena realized what she was doing, and slammed into Kana.

"Why the hell are you trying to break his neck?! What'd he do to you? You've already won!"

"I see I've finally irked you, Rena Hikari. This isn't a game, and if it is, we're playing for keeps." Rena had interfered with the match, causing an automatic win for Kana. "See you at the final exams... If you can keep up with me."

Rena picked up Cheshire, disappearing. She handed him to Sansa, who began to work on healing him immediately.

People turned their attention to the board again, slightly bored because of the fight that had gone on. However, the names that flashed on the board didn't seem too promising. In fact, they decided they wouldn't expect anything interesting from this fight.

"Kenko Kage versus Rena Hikari," The announcer gestured to the board. He was useful, if you couldn't read. Kenko was given a small pouch by Kana, unknown to the people around them. What was in it was a bag of dirty tricks.

Or maybe tricks that would reveal the truth.

Kenko jumped down from the railing, landing well. "Are you going to fight me, or is this going to be a waste of time like the last?"

Rena gave a small laugh. "I wouldn't dare waste someone's time!"

She jumped from the railing, doing a flip and landing on her feet. She gave a little salute, and Kana rolled her eyes. She turned back to Marionetta and Cheshire.

"I'm going to make her pay. Starting with her team member."

"Rena..." Cheshire attempted to stand to his feet but he collapsed back down. "No, don't..."

"Too late now."

Sansa gripped the railing, not eager, but worried. This was most likely one of Rena's first fights since she got back. Did she have to worry about the seal breaking? When she checked it while holding Rena's leg, it seemed fine, but there was something off about this fight. If a Kage was here, that would mean Rena had been exposed, and she was in danger.

The way that Rena fought this battle would be the difference between life and death for Sansa; if she was slipping into her old ways, then Sansa would know the seal wouldn't hold for much longer. She prayed that it wasn't going to break.

But, there was an even more dangerous potential. Even if the seal did break, and Rena did remember... everything, then Sansa would have to explain to Baki and the rest how she had lied to them their entire lives. Maybe saying 'twisted the truth' would be more applicable to the situation.

But then, the final result. There were four of the Kage clan in this room, and therefore, four messengers. Four people who could report back to Luna within the course of three days, four people who could ruin their lives. Either way, there wasn't a way out of this; Sansa had already gone over her options. If she killed them all, Luna would smell foul play. If she let them live, Luna would know anyways.

Sansa knew that it was all or nothing, and at this point, all seemed to be the only option.

However, the sound of metal clanging against metal broke her from her thoughts. The battle had already begun, and would not wait for her to make a plan. If worse got worse, then she'd simply jump in and stop the battle.

Rena had deflected a kunai with another kunai; Kenko was sizing her up before going in. He needed to know whether she'd go long-range or try to get in close.

"I hope I'm the one to kill you." He sneered, brandishing yet another kunai. He dashed towards her, and sparks flew as kunai grazed against kunai. Rena flipped the kunai in her hand, striking upwards. A small amount of fabric was torn from Kenko's shirt; she still had yet to move. People were watching half-heartedly; if there was no Jutsu, it wasn't exciting, but it still had some kind of entertainment.

Kenko got some distance. She wasn't budging, and that was an issue. He'd have to give her initiative. He made a handsign, preparing his Jutsu with ease. "Poison Spore Jutsu!"

Strange clouds of dust formed around Rena. She had nowhere to go; she was pushed into the middle of the circle. The spores were on top of her in seconds, and the entire crowd was now watching with multiplied interests as they heard Rena cough violently.

"Wind Style: Raging Wind Current!"

The air began to clear as Rena sent the poison mist in different directions; when dispersed and apart, it was weaker. The tides of battle had turned, in Kenko's favor. Rena covered her mouth with an arm, and coughed into it. The poison was infecting her system.

Making three rapid hand signs, she launched forwards and dropped a small ball on the floor. Smoke spurred from it, rendering all sight useless.

"Striking Talons!" Rena planted one foot firmly on the ground and roundhoused the other straight into Kenko's face. He fell backwards, and Rena quickly appeared behind him, landing a counter clockwise roundhouse kick on his ribs. A satisfying crack erupted from his ribs; she had surely broken at least one. The smoke began to clear and people watched as Rena jumped above Kanko, grabbing the back of his head and putting all her chakra into her arm, pushing him downwards. She wasn't a heavy hitter, but this would be her ace-in-the-hole. Surely he would be finished after this.

The impact of Kenko's face and the ground caused a spiderweb of cracks in the floor. Rena backed up from Kenko's body, coughing and wheezing. The poison would soon reach every place in her body, and she needed to get medical attention before that.

She backed up, weaving another hand sign. A final hit, one that would most likely decide the battle. "Wind Shuriken!" Chakra formed in between her hands, and made a shape that was familiar to any shinobi. Whipping it in Kenko's direction, he swiftly dodged, but did not count on Rena's plan; the wind whipped around, coming back like a boomerang and the wind shuriken lodged itself into Kenko's back. It disappeared seconds after impact, but the wound still remained.

Kenko had enough. Everyone could sense the battle was coming to a draw, and it seemed like Rena herself would collapse at any moment. Kana had a small smile on her face; she knew what had to be done. "Kenko, do it now."

Kenko raised his head, giving a glare in Kana's direction. His hand disappeared into his back pocket, and he removed a tag from it.

Without warning, he pushed forwards, nearly pinning it on Rena. She wobbled, almost losing her balance from the quick dodge she had made.

"Are you guys trying to blow me up?!"

Kana ignored her, and Kenko tried again.

Rena had been backed into a corner, and Kenko had begun to soak the tag in his chakra. She could see it bursting with energy.

He descended on her, and there was nothing she could do. Nobody could save her like this...

Kenko threw the tag, and it latched onto her arm.

Closing her eyes, she prepared for pain, but nothing came. She only walked past Kenko and gave Kana a confused look. Kana's face was unreadable, a paragon of emotional defense.

"Your tag thing didn't work." She grabbed it, and ripped it off.

It was only then that she felt something.

She let out a screech, the headache almost splitting her skull in two. This was a pain unlike any other; she dug her fingernails into her skin until they bled, and writhed around on the floor. With her fist, she pounded the ground and struggled to breath. The world was suffocating her, closing in on her, trying to kill her.

"Rena!" Sansa screamed, almost falling over the rail. "You fuckers! Do you even know what you've just done?!"

She was talking to Kana this time, acknowledging her. Kana gave her a sly grin.

"Of course we know, Hikari slave. We're simply bringing back the truth to a person who lives a lie. It's a mercy, of sorts. She might not see it that way, though." Kana shrugged, and leaned against the wall. Sansa bit her cheek until it bled; those fools broke the seal!

"What's happening to her?" Baki asked the question that the Sand Siblings feared to; at least someone was trying to figure out what's happening. The Chuunin Exam participants were speaking in hushed tones, some worried and some confused.

Rena punched the ground several times, and looked up.

Instead of the Chuunin Exams preliminary hall, she saw elsewhere.

A field of golden wheat, and a man covered in the deadly shade of black.

The sky, once a crystal and pristine blue, grew to a nightmarish red that filled her vision; the screams of people who were burning alive filled her ears, and she became aware of the blood- Oh, god, the blood- that watered the fields with red.

The man turned, and his eyes were the color of the red that he had shed; his thirst was for vengeance, for retribution for sins. He rose his hand and-

Rena was screaming, screaming for mercy. Not towards Kenko, but towards empty, open air.

"Has she gone insane?" Neji asked, attempting to see some change with his byakugan. There were small flares of chakra in the air around her. Ever so small disturbances, but still disturbances nonetheless.

Rena's head snapped upwards, her eyes clear of pain.

"You said twenty years, Sansa." Her gaze did not break from the floor, and there was a certain chill that ran through the blood of several shinobi that day.

"My apologies; it's not my fault you've got a price on your head." Sansa shrugged. Her normally slurred speech came out just as clear as Rena's eyes.

"It wasn't twenty years, Sansa."

"What do you want from me, to put you in a coma?!"

"No." Rena finally broke her gaze from the stone floor, giving Sansa a sidelong glance. "Not only that, but someone seems to have broken my seal crudely. I can't remember anything other than who I am."

Rena stepped to the side, and a shuriken whizzed past her. Before her, Kenko was trembling in fear.

"It's her," Kana whispered, clutching the railing as if it was her life support. "It's really her. We've really found Rena Hikari."

"I don't feel okay right now. In fact, there are a lot of things that aren't okay with this. Who said you could wake me up from my slumber? Who said you could fuck around with my mind, make me remember, make me forget?" She walked towards Kenko, her steps echoing through the hallway. "Really, it's quite rude. And now, I'm a different person entirely...."

Blood came forth from Kenko's body, as he felt himself slip into death. A completely invisible strike.

"But I'll kill if I have to." She muttered. "Even if I don't remember, I can't just do nothing. I can't just stay still and pretend like I don't remember, either."

For a person who just killed someone without a second thought, she was pretty sane.

What happened next was childish and almost temper-tantrum like.

"Aaaaaaagh! Sansa, why can't I remember fragments?!" Rena grabbed her head, not in anger or any other sort of thing, but in frustration. "I know who I am, but there are thousands of blanks in my head. I don't know why, where, what, when or how! You've broken me! The seal most likely wasn't ready to be undone yet."

Sansa sighed, banging her head against the metal bar that separated the battlefield and the watching area. She had forgotten how annoying the last Rena was, and accusatory.

"Rena, you do realize you're in the middle of the Chuunin Exams, you've just killed a person, and exposed yourself in front of several shinobi?" Sansa angrily made large gestures.

There was a spike of alienistic chakra; everyone felt it, and it swirled around Rena like flies buzzing around a hot meal. It was not hers, and it was not familiar to anyone but Sansa, who paled. Rena's eyes glazed over, her identity being taken from her.

"Wha... temporary....?"

Rena fell to the floor, and the announcer ran over to her, checking her body.

"She's asleep, but she was the last one standing. I guess she's the winner, so... uh..."

Sansa vanished, and reappeared. It was like a flash; one minute, Rena's body was there, and the next, Sansa had scooped her up in her arms and placed her in a nice position against the wall.

Both Kankuro and Temari looked her over, searching for any injuries while Sansa made a curative mix of herbs. They were relieved to find that there was nothing wrong with her, and Sansa poured the foul concoction down Rena's throat.

It wasn't long before the battles resumed; Rena woke up just before any of the Sand Siblings fought. Gaara stared at her, his arms crossed and his gaze hard. It was the same as usual. Whatever had happened to her seemed to have passed; as she blinked awake, he wondered what she was keeping from him, what secrets her mind held.

He wanted to split her open, become one with her flesh. He wanted his sand to be imbued, blessed even, by her blood. He wanted to soak in it himself, allow it to rain over him. Yes, the only shade of red he'd ever let on him was the color purple; the purple of her blood. His hand reached towards her, outstretched. He was hungry; no, starving for her blood. The bloodlust he felt was almost unbearable as he wiped a small amount of purple blood from her cheek. She was still dazed, so there was no harm, was there?

Instead of feeding it to the sand, however, he himself felt the need to imbibe, to become one with her. His tongue traced along the edge of his thumb, tasting every bit of the substance that ran through her veins and making sure not to leave a single drop of it devoured by him. He was in absolute bliss. The feeling that passed through him was greater than any felt before, and he needed more. All it would take was a little bit of sand, a little bit to suffocate her, to murder her.

Gaara's breath was getting heavier, and his fever got worse. He felt his fever everywhere, and a small heat came across him, making him want more, so much more than this. He wanted to violate every part of her that made her who she was, and break her thoroughly.

There was never enough blood. . .

As she regained consciousness, the only thing that she was staring into was the turquoise orbs of her childhood friend. Her hand rose from the floor, and although her vision was groggy, somehow she managed to brush the tips of her fingers against his cheek. Gaara was deterred by this action. His thoughts and mind cleared, leaving nothing but confusion.

"Heya. What's up?" She gave a small laugh, but her insides were still slightly pained from the poison.

Several people now had their eye on her; all they knew was that she had killed someone, but they didn't see how the guy had been killed. It was either too fast, or not Jutsu. Gaara was especially curious, and almost glad that he hadn't consumed her yet. She'd give herself to him in due time, and he'd have the pleasure of tasting her blood once more.

"You've been out for a few battles." Gaara stood from his kneeling position and leaned against the wall; it was an interlude. His legs were slightly tired from standing all that time without moving. He figured he'd attempt to find out what had happened while they were preparing the 'arena' for the next battle.

"Really? Damn it, did I at least win?"

"You don't remember?" This would make Gaara's investigation a little harder.

"All I can remember was trying to pull off that explosive tag, but it didn't work." Rena murmured, racking her mind for what had happened when she went out. How could she have possibly won?

"Well, Rena, you're definitely going on to the next round." Temari gave a grin.

"Hey, where's Kankuro?" She swiveled her head around, searching for Kankuro. She wanted to talk to him about Hunna's desserts. Normally he would pay for it, and she really was craving sweets more than ever. Gaara reached into a bag that the Sand Siblings had brought with them; he was sure he saw Kankuro pack a slice of cake that he hadn't eaten. Not like he would, anyways.

"Here." He held it out to her, and Rena's eyes lit up childishly. She grabbed the cake, unwrapping it. There was a fork in the packaging; she quickly delved into the cake.

Kankuro watched from a distance.

His Rena-Points, stolen again, and this time by his brother. What was the world coming to??? He should have stayed by his sibling's...

No. If Rena was going to be a distraction to the mission, then he'd have to forget her for the current moment. True shinobi did not get distracted by seduction tactics.

He ignored it; this was one of the Sand's most important missions, after all. Besides, there would be plenty of time for Rena-Points after the Leaf was destroyed. In fact, that might give him more Rena-Points. He really needed to stop thinking about scoring with Rena; he turned to the blonde kid to extract information.

Rena gobbled the cake in less than a minute.

"The next match will now begin. If you'll turn your attention to the board..." Gaara stood up, walking back over to the railing.

Some weird-haired guy was making a big deal out of something trivial; Kana's team was right beside them, short one member. Kana covered her ears with her hands; the noises coming from Rock Lee's mouth were annoying.

The beat of wings was heard as a silent mourning dove landed on the Jonin's arm, a small piece of parchment attached to the leg. It was Genimon, the fastest carrier dove that Luna possessed. Kana had sent Ari, and received a better bird within 6 hours.

The Jonin handed Kana the letter. Despite the fact Kana was a Genin and Morshige was a Jonin, the one who led this mission was clear.

The letter was short, but to the point.

_**Team 457,** _

_**You shall be rewarded for your efforts in finding my sister. I thank you, to the point of saying; go right ahead and kill her.** _

_**Make her suffer, or don't return to the Village Hidden in the Light.** _

Kana tucked the parchment away, in her pocket. The Hidden Light was not a major village, but it was within the borders of the Hidden Mist. Right under their noses, and yet nobody knew where the light was.

Even if it was shining brightly every day.

The board finally stopped on a familiar name to Rena.

"Gaara of the Sand, VS Rock Lee."

**Heeeeeeeyo! Enjoying the story so far? Well, here's a small interlude for you to go get popcorn or something! Something to distract you from your screen. I know it's long, long long long! I just feel like you need a break from the screen of your computer or phone. Remember, staring at a screen for too long can blind you if you don't give yourselves breaks in between. It's actually happening to me, because all I do is write! Also, if you're confused as to whom the main character is, it's definitely Rena. If you've been seeing changes in the storyline that have been focusing around Rena, it's because it's meant to be that way.**

It was finally time for Gaara to fight. As the sand whisked him away, towards the battleground, Rena replaced where he had been, grabbing the railing. She was worried, extremely so. Rock Lee seemed to be quite strong... but he also seemed to be mentally challenged.

As the battle progressed, and Gaara seemed to be compromised, and Rena's worry went off the charts.

Finally, it was the last burst; Gaara's sands were creeping towards Rock Lee. They enveloped his arm and leg and broke him to pieces. More sand crept to the now defensive Rock Lee, and someone interfered. His teacher.

Gaara was infuriated; he couldn't understand why Gai would defend Rock Lee. He even went as far as asking him, due to his confusion.

"But why....? He failed!" Gaara clutched his head in between his hands, a headache of sorts overtaking him as those annoying memories washed through his mind. "Why save him..?"

"Because he's my student, and also because he is precious to me."

Baki sneered. Gaara wouldn't be able to understand such sentiments.

The face that Gaara made almost broke Rena's heart; but it was gone in a flash.

"He's precious to him..? A student...?" The surprise in Temari's voice made Rena realize that whatever was happening in the Hidden Sand was probably not good; weren't you supposed to cherish those you loved?

Gaara stood up with difficulties, and began to walk away. "I quit." His face was as unreadable as always. Rena dropped from the railing before anyone could stop her, running towards Gaara.

"The winner is...huh?"

Everyone was staring at Rock Lee in surprise. Gaara turned, prepared to fight more, need be. Rock Lee was in a fighting stance, prepared for battle despite his injuries.

"No, Lee. It's alright, it's all over now. Anyways, you're in no condition to-" His teacher's voice cut off abruptly, as his eyes widened. "Lee... Oh, Lee....What have I done?" Gai began to sob, his shoulders shaking. Tears dripped onto the floor, and his expression was one of pure self-agony. "Look at you. Not even conscious, and still determined to show the world what you can do."

Rena got a view of Lee's face, and the look in his eyes only meant one thing; they were glazed over, and unresponsive to anything. It was only sheer willpower keeping the shinobi up now. Several shinobi had the shock of seeing this; this wasn't an every-day thing.

"Lee, you've already proven it." Gai took Lee into his arms in a sort of gentle embrace, and Lee closed his eyes. He allowed whatever subconscious that had taken hold to fade, and there was no doubt that he wouldn't be getting back up again. "You are a splendid ninja."

"The winner is Gaara." The announcer said, gesturing to the shinobi that Rena was desperate to get to. The one that might still be in pain, might still be hurt. As she ran towards him, her pace slowed.

There was a certain shadow in Gaara's expression. It was of pure disgust and hatred, but at the same time, jealousy. He was glaring at the two who were embracing. His eyes narrowed, and the feeling of hatred weighed heavily on Rena's mind. The look was sadder than anything she had ever known. She never wanted him to have that kind of expression on his face again. She wanted to protect and save him.

"Hah. I knew he couldn't beat Gaara." Temari was proud as she watched Rena catch up to Gaara, but what was going on in hushed voices in a conversation only the two below could hear.

"Gaara," Rena said, speedwalking to keep up with his pace, "What happened to you while I was gone?"

Gaara went stiff. This again? This girl wouldn't stop getting into things that she had no business in knowing. He ignored her, speeding up the pace.

"Please, Gaara. I need to know. I need to know what happened to the boy from before."

Sand swarmed around her neck, unnoticeable to any by how thinly it pierced the air. Rena felt the pressure before she saw the sand.

"Shut up." Gaara muttered. She was so annoying.

Kankuro stood on the other side of the viewing area, basking in relief at Gaara's victory. It was a lot tougher than they thought it would be, but finally, Gaara had come through.

Blondie vaulted over the metal bar, not caring what anyone had to say. He ran past Gaara, in which time seemed to stop as Blondie looked at the passing Sand shinobi with a glare that could rival his own. Gaara stopped, giving Blondie a small glance as he passed by. He turned, watching the Blondie go.

The Blondie headed towards the broken body of his friend, and Gaara simply stared, no emotion in his gaze. It was worrying.

Gaara's body moved forwards, and he ignored Rena. She was a distraction to his true goal; to exist. He would not stop existing just because she came back. Her goal was to stop him from existing in his mind.

Meanwhile, in a room separate to the Chuunin Exams 'Arena', Sansa faced the Hokage.

"Explain that outburst, and we may keep her in the exams." His face was grim. This was not the Hokage that the Leaf knew, but the Hokage that war knew.

"I'm sorry. She continues to have strange outbursts like that; she seems to think she's lost her memories, in a way. It's nothing, Lord Hokage. I hope you allow her to continue with the Chuunin Exams." Sansa bowed, her mask as clear as day. There was something wrong here; the Hokage could sense it.

"Very well. Go on your way."

Sansa inhaled as she walked out of the room, and then exhaled deeply. That was close. Should the Hokage find out who Rena truly was, then the Hidden Leaf would become a bloody battlefield, with her and Rena as the only defenders.

Meanwhile, the Hokage turned to Ibiki, who had been waiting in the shadows undetected. "Search the case files, up to a hundred years ago. Find any mention of the Hikari Clan, and if there's something on the Kage Clan, bring that to my desk as well. I had thought they were annihilated, but perhaps I was wrong." The Hokage's mouth was a straight line. There was no time for smiles if that child was who he assumed her to be, and he couldn't allow the ANBU to take her, as that would injure the treaty between the Sand and the Leaf. Should the Leaf be the one to break the treaty, other lands would begin to swell with mistrust and eventually turn on the Leaf, causing another Great Ninja War.

Meanwhile, in the exams, Blondie had finished another of his outbursts. Lee was taken away, and Gaara remained staring at the door that he had been removed from before disappearing into grains of sand.

"Hey, wait for me!" Rena called, but Gaara was already on the second floor. She quickly ran up the steps, tripping on the second set of stairs.

"Good to have you back, Gaara." Temari said. Gaara simply glanced at her, his turquoise orbs devoid of anything recognizable.

Rena had finally reached the second floor after tripping four times; she glared at the stairs. Oh, how she hated stairs. Since there were no teams in between the Sand's group and the stairs, she felt more comfortable with the walking distance.

She reached Gaara's side, and much to his surprise, she touched him. He recoiled once more, and she felt like any progress they had made had been damaged for some reason. Gaara had retracted back into himself. Maybe it was the fight that had done it?

Still, she looked for a sign of a wound or an opening. While the others were watching the next fight, she gently tapped against his cheek. A small amount of sand came crumbling down, and Gaara's translucent orbs were watching her with the same death glare as usual. There was a crack in his sand shield which fixed itself instantaneously.

This continued until the end of the Chuunin Preliminaries. Gaara felt drained after, from having to replace his sand shield, and therefore dropped it as he should have when the fight was over.

After they announced the winners, and everyone was brought back to the Leaf, Temari and Kankuro decided they'd go out to eat to celebrate. They offered to bring Rena along, as Baki and Sansa were paying, but...

"Nope. I'm exhausted! I couldn't possibly go out for longer than this." She waved them off, and stared up at the night sky. Gaara watched from the shadow of a tree; they hadn't thought of inviting him. It was a natural reaction for his siblings.

She turned to Gaara, whom stepped out of the shadows. "I want to know. Are you afraid of me yet?" His fingers curled and uncurled, sand flowing around him like a river. His eyes were almost dead; it was scary, but not scary enough.

"Of course I fear you." Rena said, staring at him with a straight face. Of course she was pathetic like the others. Why did he bother her trying to show her that she should only love herself? "I fear you because you're strong. You could leave me behind like this, and I'd never be as strong as you."

The sand silently flew back into his gourd. Of course he was stronger. He loved only himself.

"I also fear you because you could die. You could die, and leave me behind that way. I really, really thought that you'd..."

She didn't hate him, but she feared his non-existence. He would not cease to exist, and to prove that, he would save her death until the very end.

"I see." He turned away from her, walking towards the inn. Rena ran to his side, and he allowed it. Just this was all right; this way, he didn't need love. He didn't care about her, and he never would. She would keep following him like a lost puppy, and he would guide her, because he was strong. He would prove his strength through her.

They had finally reached The Dancing Leaf, and wordlessly walked up the two flights of stairs required to get to their floor. Room 7 was Gaara's room, and he entered. He didn't close the door behind him, so she assumed that he wanted her to follow. She quietly shut the door behind her, and Gaara sat on his floor, closing his eyes.

"There's nothing in here, Gaara..."

There wasn't a dresser, or a bed. The closet door also seemed to be missing. The only thing that could possibly be picked up was the rug he sat on. Also, the wooden floor-boards, if he managed to pry them up.

"If I need sleep, I'll use your bed." He didn't care; it's not like she'd put up much of a fight. In a way, he owned her. If she was willing to give him her life, then that meant that he owned her, correct? It was his to take, and so were all of her possessions.

"But, Gaara..."

"You once told me you'd give me your life if I were to think it best. Since I could take it at any moment in time, that means that you belong to me, and therefore, you have no say in what I take from you. You are mine. Your body belongs to me; your mind is owned by me. You are my possession." Yes, she was nothing more than an object to be used by him, a private kind of object that nobody could borrow. If anyone were to touch that object, it wouldn't end well for them.

Rena remained quiet, whatever she was going to say overruled. Technically, she had offered her life to him.

"You wouldn't let me sleep on this floor. Your concerns are troublesome, and they are making you weaker." He needed to remove her sentiments from her first, and this was the one he'd work on tonight.

"If they make me weak, so be it. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Rena gave a shrug, and Gaara hated how nonchalant she was about it all. It was going to get her killed.

"Didn't you say you wanted to get stronger?"

"What's the point if I forget the fact my entire purpose was keeping up with you?" Rena frowned at him. She assumed he'd be able to understand this much, at least. "If I forget my purpose, then why would I strive to be stronger? It doesn't make sense to get stronger if I forget why I want to be stronger."

Gaara went back to being silent. This girl was utterly confusing; was she saying her reasoning for getting stronger was him? She should be thinking of herself. She should be getting stronger for herself.

"Gaara, thoughts of you gave me the strength to go on. I'm sure as hell not selfless, but there's one person who I'd do anything for. Compared to you, nobody else matters." Her hands tightened; Gaara noticed that her chakra was at the levels that signified stress. "There was so much pain, so much of it. After the kidnapping, I almost gave up hope. But thoughts of you led me to the conclusion that I needed to run, to escape."

Gaara's eyes pointed downwards. He was still listening, but his heart was hammering in his chest. Pain, his object in pain. So much pain that she was screaming. He imagined her screaming, and it was music to his ears.

"I finally broke out of my prison cell, and there I was, my seventh escape attempt. But I wasn't the only one begging to leave; under the chaos, I freed another girl. I still don't know if she managed to escape, but I got free. Something drove me to thoughts of self-preservation; there was a map in my head, and all I had to do was follow it. Before I knew what was happening, I had made two life-like puppets... that were real, made from the flesh of another." She was referring to Cheshire and Marionetta. So they were puppets, and not real people. Her stress did not go down, and she stood up, her entire being trembling. "I'm sorry. My mind keeps going back to the torment I endured there, and I... I have to be alone for awhile."

As she ran out of the door, Gaara's mouth twisted into an insane grin, one of pure bloodlust.

"How curious... I'm more intrigued than I've ever been....!" He let out a gravelly laugh. "She's the greatest entertainment....!" Yes, he would never forgive her for leaving him. He would make her suffer, not by killing her, but by manipulating her heart to points where a normal one would break. She was his; his to own, his to kill, his to devour.

**1:00PM**

**3 Days Later**

**[1 Month until Chuunin Exam Finals]**

**The Dancing Leaf Inn**

**Sansa and Baki's Room**

**Gaara and Rena's Relationship Level: 43% [Was 50%, went down.]**

"You win again, god damn it!" Kankuro almost flipped the entire table that the chess board was on. There was not a single white piece on the board, but the black pieces were untouched.

"In the past few days, I've picked up a couple tricks. I now excel at this; I don't think you'll be able to defeat me now." Her eyes glinted playfully. Kankuro's face was forcefully pushed into a wall, and Sansa sat where he was, setting up the board quickly.

"I'd love to see you beat the Hidden Sand's Devil Tactician." As Sand Black Ops, [Ops stands for operations. So, black operations or darker operations include torture and assassinations that children would not be able to participate in.] Or Sand ANBU as they're better known, Sansa was the leader. She would be a challenging opponent; her entire career was based off of her mind, and her fame had grown according to it. However, she had been given a vacation to be able to witness Rena become a Chuunin.

"Now here's an interesting battle! I might not win this. After all, you're the one who taught me how to play." There was a dangerous look in the mother-daughter pair's eyes, and the entire room felt like it would erupt into a fiery inferno. Everyone present felt the tension; nobody could look away.

"Shouldn't you be spending your time training, Rena?" Baki looked up from his book, which had some sort of 'no' sign on the back, indicating it wasn't for children.

"This entire board is a training field. I'm training my mind, which is one of the most important assets of a shinobi. If you can't come up with good stratagem, you're dead. For Kana, it's not a matter of powerful and weak. Our match will most likely be a mind battle, from what I've seen of her so far. I need to stay on the edges, far from her and observe her. Let her make a move before I do. I need to know what type of shinobi she is before I can strike her." Rena watched as Sansa made a move, and then made a move just as quickly. Sansa's next move took down the pawn she had just moved. "Also, you shouldn't be reading erotica in front of us."

Baki's book literally flew out of his hands and hit the wall in an attempt for him to seem innocent.

"Looks like you have a plan. What if it fails?" Sansa had to plan this out carefully; it seemed like Rena's mind remembered how the Kage Clan worked, which was good. Perhaps she didn't need her memories to take on Kana.

"Then I die."

Maybe Rena wasn't as prepared as Sansa had previously thought.

"The risk is high. Kana isn't going to show mercy." None of them would. If Luna was still alive, then the Kage Clan would have taken a darker turn. It would be submerged in deceit and trickery.

"I don't plan on playing hopscotch with her, if that's what you're implying. I'm not just going to hold back."

More moves were taken, and one by one, pawns fell from the chess board.

"Don't blame me if you die. She's bad news."

"And am I supposed to listen to you, Sansa-Sensei? You are, after all, the legendary Devil Tactician of the Sand." At this point, her daughter was just mocking her. Sansa loved the title, and took whatever opportunity she could to point out to people who she was.

"What you do is none of my concern, child. I know you well enough that some lessons you have to learn the hard way. If you get the shit kicked out of you in the process, then so be it. I'll be the one eating the popcorn."

"What would you do if she severed a limb?"

"Why, then shit would get personal. Kana would find that I do not like it when my students are dismembered. After all, that means I'd have to go easier on you during training, and I despise not going all out." Sansa grit her teeth, in pre-rage. The rage would be multiplied tenfold if Kana really did take a limb.

"I'd lose the match if you interfered." Rena made another move.

"And Kana would lose her life. Win-win situation, everyone is happy and Kana burns in hell." Sansa countered the move.

"You seem quite dependent on Kana being happy when she dies."

"Oh, did I say everyone? I meant my allies. My enemies will disappear and rot away." Sansa made another move and looked down at the chessboard, scoffing. "I've won. You weren't paying attention. The next move is going to ruin you. You can try to redeem yourself, but it's impossible to win."

"It's never too late to rise from the battlefield as long as you're still breathing." Rena grabbed her King, moving the piece forwards boldly.

"She's throwing away her king...!" Temari punched Kankuro in her excitement, whom fell over and groaned in pain.

"Check..." Rena knocked the king over with her own. "Mate."

"To be honest, I didn't even see how close the kings were to each other." Temari admitted, embarrassed. Kankuro only groaned again.

"She did it while you were focusing on our conversation about Kana. Gaara was watching the board, however, and saw every move." Sansa pointed towards Gaara, whose eyes didn't leave the board.

He got up, and Sansa moved to the side, sitting on Kankuro. Another groan. Gut punches seemed to be effective on Puppetmasters.

He sat rather roughly, criss-cross apple sauce. He put his hands on his knees.

"If you lose, then you have to obey me."

"Kind of like a loser does what the winner says deal?"

"Yes."

Baki's attention was caught. Whatever this was, it wasn't good. The chess game lasted a good thirty minutes, and Gaara won by a landslide. Rena had tried every recovery tactic in the book, but the game's fortune was Gaara's, and Gaara's alone. It was obvious who had won by the positioning of the chess pieces.

"So, Gaara, what do you want?" Rena gave him a smile.

"When we first came to the inn, a girl asked if you were my girlfriend. Tell me what that word means."

"It means that we'd be in a steady relationship, and both you and I would not be able to go off with other people. It's kind of like a loyalty thing."

"Since I said yes, does that mean you can't?"

"I'm pretty sure you had no idea what you were agreeing to."

"But now I do, which means you're my girlfriend."

The elephant in the room was addressed almost immediately.

"You can't!" Kankuro shouted, throwing Sansa off of him.

"I can, I will, and I did. She has to obey me."

"But... there are so many other things you can ask for, Gaara." Temari said, giving a soft smile. Hopefully it would deter him.

However, there were different things on Gaara's mind. What he needed was for Rena to obey him, and only him. If her being his 'girlfriend' made her loyal to him, then he'd only be stacking how loyal she already was on top of it. He wanted to own her, to make her his and his alone. Then, he'd break and use her until she could no longer properly function without him. He'd prove to her that she was weak.

Gaara reached towards Rena, to claim his prize, but Sansa was there in a flash. She had been less trusting of Gaara since Rena had disappeared. Her kunai pressed against his adam's apple. "Make no mistake, kiddo. I'll kill you. You're supposed to ask permission from the parents first, and in this case, it's me and Baki who are the parents."

Baki looked like a deer in headlights, ever so slightly, but he regained his grace. Yes, he was now Rena's father, and as such he would prevent Gaara from seeing her. He'd learn to care for Rena as a daughter. In fact, he and Sansa had been talking about it the previous day when they both were in bed together; he and Rena needed some bonding time.

"Gaara, you're not allowed to see my daughter in that way. You'll stay away from her for the rest of the Chuunin Exams. Both of you are banned from entering one another's rooms. In fact, Kankuro will sleep with Gaara and Temari with Rena. Make sure they don't leave their rooms, and don't leave them alone with one another."

Gaara gave Baki a menacing look, while Rena was dragged back to her room by Temari. Sansa, Baki and Kankuro escorted Gaara back to his room to make sure he didn't slaughter Kankuro in cold blood.

After the children were in position, Sansa sat in her room. That was a disaster, but Baki was in charge of the Sand Siblings, and Rena was his daughter now, too. She was afraid that she gave him a little too much power for his first fatherly decision.

"Baki, why would you confine Rena to her room as well?" Sansa pinched the bridge of her nose. "I understand Gaara's confinement, but why Rena?"

"I'm testing a theory I have. Should I be right, and I hope I'm not, both Gaara and Rena will be out of their rooms by sunrise."

If his theory was true, then Gaara held something in his heart other than bloodlust, and Rena would be in danger. Of course, the Kazekage would most likely stop the relationship before it even happened.

However, Gaara would destroy Rena and Baki wouldn't let that happen. For Sansa's sake, and for his step-daughter's sake.

**Gaara's Room**

"Let me through, Kankuro." Sand flowed around Gaara, and his voice was a low, malicious growl.

"I can't, Gaara. Listen to your older brother! If we start getting physical in here, we can bring down the entire inn and expose ourselves before our attack on the Leaf!" Kankuro spread his arms. Trying to convince Gaara with words was proving futile.

"Get out of my way..." Gaara's voice was all that was needed to intimidate Kankuro, even if his expression was the same as always. "Or I'll kill you." Kankuro could almost smell Gaara's bloodlust. He wouldn't stand a chance against Gaara. The only ones who could fight him and not die were either Baki or Sansa. Even then, they were at an extreme disadvantage.

Kankuro's fingers twitched.

It was time for a puppet show.

**Rena's Room**

"Temari, come on! Let me out." Rena attempted to appeal to Temari's good side.

"Rena, I'm sorry, but Gaara is bad news." Temari's feet were planted on the ground in front of the door. "He's a monster. I know you two have been 'close', but you need to stop. I know what my father said to you; he offered you Kankuro's hand in marriage. Please, just take it. Forget about Gaara...! You'll go home with a hailed hero, not a failed weapon."

"I'm not going to do that. Are you insane?! I don't care whether or not Gaara is a failure! He's important to me."

"And I'm saying he doesn't care if you live or die! He'll kill you!" Temari screamed.

_"Then I'll die for him! If he wants me to die, I'll die!"_

**Gaara's Room**

Gaara had suffocated Kankuro until he passed out. His body laid on the ground, his face peaceful. Gaara had heard their loud screaming match; his bloodlust swirled in the air, almost physical.

_"Then I'll die for him! If he wants me to die, I'll die!"_

His hands raked across his clothing, where his heart was. An extremely painful beat, one after the other.

"It hurts. Why does it hurt?! Mother... yes, mother, you want me to kill her, don't you? You want to taste her blood? I'll give it to you, mother... just stop yelling at me... I'll be a good boy...!" Gaara stepped over Kankuro's unconscious body.

**Rena's Room**

Rena watched as Temari was raised into the air, her hands reaching to her neck where the sand's grip got tighter. She was choking, and Rena couldn't do anything to stop it. As soon as her eyes fluttered shut, Temari's unconscious self was dropped to the ground rather painfully.

"Die...you have to die..." Gaara reached his hand out to Rena, and the sand flowed into her room, wrapping her in its grasp. It was soft, rather than rough, but the smell of blood was something Rena couldn't ignore.

"Okay." She whispered.

Gaara's expression was one of pure surprise. "Wha...ngh, what?"

"If it's for you, then I'll gladly let my life be taken from me." She gave Gaara one of the most heartwarming smiles she could muster. "Just like I said before; go ahead. You're what's most important."

"Why... why aren't you fighting? People don't do this, normal people don't do this!" His mother was not yelling any longer, but screaming. He ignored her.

"Because I never want to fight you. If you want to take my life, go ahead and do so; I'll let it happen. I'll never let you feel alone, Gaara, and if my blood runs through your sand just like every other, then even if I feel a little jealous, at least I'm always with you."

"...With you..." Gaara grabbed his head, the headaches unbearable. "You're such a nuisance...! I won't care about you! I won't be weak, I won't cease to exist!"

"Then don't care about me. But I'll care about you." Rena closed her eyes, hoping he'd give his final judgment soon. Not knowing whether she was going to live or die scared her.

"You're saying you'll make yourself weak voluntarily..?" Gaara asked, his eyes widening. "And I'll grow stronger...?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I'll sacrifice anything of mine to protect you, Gaara."

"Rrrhng..." Gaara dropped his hands to his sides, and the sand flowed back into his gourd. "Do what you want. My sand would be stained purple if I were to kill you." He left the room, and Rena dropped to her knees, catching her breath. Despite her terror, she did not fear Gaara. She only feared her own demise.

Five minutes later, Baki entered the room. He was the first sentry. "What happened here?!"

"Gaara happened. She'll be fine, but he did suffocate her until she fainted. I think Gaara left the area. Meanwhile, if looks could kill, then anyone he looked at would be dead by now."

"We need to find him. There's no time to sit around." Baki disappeared.

Rena took one last glance at Temari, and sighed. "I'm sorry, but I can't walk away from this."

She disappeared, and the hunt for Gaara began.

**Konoha Hospital**

**4:50 PM**

**Gaara and Rena's Relationship Level: 63%**

"Hm, strange. There's nobody here." Sakura signed into the hospital ledger, putting down that she was a visitor of Rock Lee. She turned around, and shivered. It was creepy when it was deserted. "Huh... oh well. Time to go visit Lee." She turned back to the hallway, walking towards the direction of Lee's room.

A long shadow stretched across the floor, and turquoise eyes pierced the darkness.

Sakura entered Lee's room, and put the flowers in the vase on Lee's table. She glanced at him, and then left, sorrow swelling inside her.

**5:00PM**

Gaara entered the room, the door being opened by the sand. He would. He would kill this enemy who was so loved by others. This is the blood he'd take in exchange for Rena's. He stood over Rock Lee's comatose body, his hand lingering over Rock Lee's chest. The sand moved rhythmically from Lee's feet, to his legs, to his body. The sand reached his neck, but didn't stop there. As it moved, Gaara's eyes progressively became more aggressive. He couldn't wait. The sand needed blood and it needed it now.

The door swung open with a creak and in walked Blondie, who became hostile immediately. "Hey, what are you doing to bushy brows?!"

Gaara turned to face them, his expression blank.

"Woah, were you gonna kill him?" Shikamaru's eyes were wide open. This guy was dangerous, and not someone that either him or Naruto would want to face.

"Get away from Bushy Brows!" Naruto yelled.

"When I turned 6, my father tried to assassinate me more times than I can count." Gaara's eyes had that dead look to them once more. Shikamaru and Naruto were frozen to their spots. "All attempts failed. The entire village hated me. I couldn't control myself. I had emotional problems, you see. My father pampered and protected me."

"Did he try to assassinate you, or did he pamper and protect you?"

"Both, as I said. Then he got my uncle to try and kill me. My best friend, my only friend, left the village. I was a failed weapon, nothing more. For a long time, I was stuck wondering what purpose I have in life. After she disappeared..." Gaara held his head in rage, his eyes brimming with insanity. "I still haven't forgiven her. This grudge will rage on forever. The many times people feared, failed, to assassinate me... I realized my purpose was to kill." Gaara looked up, and the smile on his face struck fear into Naruto's heart. The sand began to creep towards them, and it lashed out. The door opened again.

"Might Gai is here! Save the fight for the arena, kids!"

It was at that moment Rena had decided to join the party. Of course, she did the not smart thing; she was afraid of heights, you see.

She launched herself in the air, managing to get onto the third floor, or at least Lee's window. The bang against the window caused Naruto to jump. Everyone in the room turned to look at her, and the first thing she noticed was that there was sand everywhere.

"Gaara, I've been looking for you." She clawed at the window frame. She felt like even the slightest wind could tip her over.

Gaara didn't even look at her. Naruto was paralyzed with fear, and Shikamaru didn't have a single strategy. If Might Gai hadn't come in, the floor would be covered with blood.

"Gaara..."

"Stay away from me." He turned around, brushing past the paralyzed Naruto and Might Gai. Rena dropped from the open window, running towards the door, but Naruto got in her way.

"He'll... He'll kill you!"

"Please let me pass. He won't kill me."

When Naruto refused, she slipped under his arm, and through the door.

As she turned the corner, Gaara had stopped at the end of the hall. Without turning around to face her, he began to speak.

"Why do you keep following me? I've threatened your life, I've told you to stay away and I've even almost killed my siblings in front of you. Do I need to attack you to get my point across?"

"Even if you attacked me, no matter how badly you injured me, I'd always be two steps behind you."

"Why the hell are you so persistent? I'm just going to kill you in the end." He gave her a glare. Rena approached Gaara, and he made no move to stop her. Her hand slipped into his, and she curled her fingers to lock it. After a moment, Gaara did the same.

"I don't care. Kill me if you want to."

"Don't expect me to protect you."

"I don't."

And like that, in silence, they walked out of the building. However, there was one more place Gaara needed to go.

**Kakashi's Training Grounds**

**Rena and Gaara's Relationship Level: 85%**

"Wait, Sasuke. I smell bloodlust in the air." Kakashi temporarily stopped Sasuke's training. Gaara himself stepped out from behind a rock. He had been watching them for a minute now, after safely delivering Rena back to the inn.

"I had a feeling it was you." Kakashi said nonchalantly. He was sure Gaara wouldn't attack.

"You have the same eyes as me, Sasuke Uchiha." If the Jonin hadn't caught him, he would still be observing. "Hate-filled and seeking purpose, vengeance." It's true; Gaara's eyes were nothing less than hate-filled.

"I'm trying to train. Get lost."

Gaara's attempt at seeing if the Uchiha would understand proved futile. He turned to sand, his destination the inn.

**The Dancing Leaf Inn**

"What the hell did you think you were doing, Gaara?!" Baki's voice filled the silence of the inn. "And Rena, letting him go off on his own like that after you caught him?!"

"I made him swear not to shed blood." Rena said quietly. Her face was pale.

"Do you think that would stop Gaara? Do you think you can stop him? You haven't even started training with Sansa yet, and you think you could stop a Jinchuriki?! This isn't some fantasy where you can just politely ask a monster to stop what they're doing!"

"Shut up, Baki. You're getting annoying." Sand particles began floating irregularly around Gaara. "I did as she asked, so shut up." He got up, walking out of the room. The sand slammed the door shut for him. Rena stared at the door. She had known it wouldn't be easy, but Gaara was shifting. Good shifts, big shifts. He was getting better, but he kept destroying progress by burning the bridges they made. Rena was having issues, big issues. He'd listen to her, and stop what he was doing for her, but he wouldn't care for her. She could only stop him from going insane.

Soon, the Chuunin Exams would start again. Soon, Rena would face Kana. It was more than likely that she'd lose. There was a fifty-fifty chance.

She walked back to her room, opening the door to her balcony.

"Soon. Soon, I face Kana. One of us will fall."

On the rooftop, Gaara silently watched over her. Soon, the Hidden Leaf would die.

Soon, she'd embrace hatred. She had her purpose, but all she needed was hate. He was her purpose. He'd make sure it remained that way forever.

Little did they know, the alienistic chakra from the preliminaries was close, so very close.

A cloaked figure stood on the roof opposite to the inn as the stars littered the night sky. The cloak blew in the wind, but everything about the figure remained questionable.

The only visible thing was the bright purple pupils.


	4. Chapter 4

"Welcome to the Chuunin Exams! You all probably have your pamphlets, but for those of you who do not, these are the matches! Rena VS Kana is our first match of the day, a fresh new set of faces to the Chuunin Exams! Our next match is Temari VS Shikamaru, then Neji, the gifted genius of the Hyuuga clan, VS Naruto! Then the match we're all excited for, Gaara VS Sasuke! Then, Shino VS Kankuro, and finally, we finish the exams with Marionetta VS Inka!"

There was enthusiasm in his voice, but he was replaced by another announcer, the same as the one who had called for the Preliminaries.

"Your very first match, Kana VS Rena!"

They stood in the small area for contestants; it was filled to the brim with ninja who were looking to become Chuunin. The tension in the air was unbelievable, and Sansa leaned against the bars. The cheering from the people who had come to see was loud. Sasuke Uchiha had not arrived yet.

"I hope you've finished your bucket list, because you're not going to be able to complete it soon." Kana said, a grin on her face. She was intending to mock Rena, but Rena nodded.

"Eh, I've got most of it down, so I'm fine. Also, my new addition to the list is to make you pay for what you did to my teammate."

The two began the descent down the long stairs, until they finally reached the bottom. The Sand Siblings watched, curious as to how this would go down.

"Alright, you guys have 60 minutes to finish this fight. If not, we call it a tie." He raised his hand in the air. "Damn, the tension between you is intense... nevermind. Go!" He disappeared, and Rena backed up a few yards. Kana got some distance.

"I honestly took you as the type to attack first." Rena grinned.

"Nah, I thought I'd give you a handicap." Kana smiled pleasantly.

Everyone who had heard the exchange between them in the contestant zone knew that this would definitely be a death battle. Kana wouldn't settle for any less.

"It's your funeral!"

Rena flashed forwards, appearing behind Kana and dredging a thin line of blood from Kana's back. Her fabric ripped ever so slightly, and Kana spinned around, kicking Rena in the stomach and batting her down to the ground with a fist. She backed up, making sure to keep the distance rule in between them. "It's barely a cut. I don't think I'll be having a funeral, but I do need a band-aid."

"All I need is a cut." Rena's face was serious. All of the smiles were dropped, and the crowd hung onto every word.

"Really? Well, all I need is to snap your freaking neck!" Kana sped forwards, getting ready to jab Rena in her face. Rena blocked it with her forearm, elbowing Kana in her lower abdomen. Kana backed up. "Well, I'll admit that's my fault. But, I opened a weak spot below... I'll remember that."

"You do just that, and I'll keep hitting you if you don't mind."

"Why are they only using Taijutsu?" Naruto asked. "I'm pretty sure that purple haired girl has some wicked Jutsu that makes people explode."

"That 'Wicked Jutsu that makes people explode' doesn't exist." Sansa said.

"She used it before."

"Well, it's not jutsu."

Gaara watched, as Rena and Kana hit one another, blow for blow. She wouldn't disappoint him, would she? Did she have enough hate in her system?

Rena got close, almost too close. "Wind Style: Raging Wind Current!" The bubble of air violently threw Kana into the air, where Rena punched her in the stomach. Kana nailed her in the face with a fast kick, and managed to get another one in. Rena fell to the floor, rolling in the dust. She sprung to her feet, but Kana was already making a few handsigns.

"Heaven's Judgment!"

Feathers fell from the sky. It was a Genjutsu, and a blank look crossed Rena's face.

Meanwhile, a thousand of Kana appeared to Rena. She kept striking out, but they never fell. All the while, Kana hit Rena, blow after blow after blow.

Rena finally broke free of the Genjutsu after the third blow.

"You call that Genjutsu? I call that failure." Rena mocked, despite the amount of pain she was in. Kana punched Rena across the face, sending her flying. A foot stomped down on her stomach, and blood spewed out of Rena's mouth. Kana kicked Rena's ribcage as hard as she could, sending her halfway across the arena with her chakra-infused attacks.

"You call that defense? I call that failure."

Okay, Rena asked for that one.

Rena staggered to get up. At this point, it was apparent who was taking more damage. Rena was going to be the one dying today if she didn't do something.

She made three handsigns. "Black Cat Strike!"

Rena appeared in front of Kana, putting a palm on her chest. A burst of chakra made her fly backwards, and Rena appeared behind her. She roundhoused Kana diagonally, so she'd float. She appeared in front of Kana, punching downwards, putting chakra into the punch.

Kana slammed into the ground, the back of her head first. A large amount of dust settled over the arena. Nobody could see anything, and nothing was being said. It was quiet, too quiet. But shinobi could feel the build-up of chakra.

A wet sound filled Rena's ears, like a bucket filled with too much water. The next sound was the sound of breaking and shifting bones, and the cracks almost made Rena sick. The dust almost exploded as it was dispersed; with a single flap of her wings, Kana had risen into the air. Her wings flapped, to make sure that she didn't fall.

"What kind of Jutsu is that?!" Naruto asked, pointing at Kana.

"That's the Kekkai Genkai of a Kage. Those wings are nothing more than an extension of the body, meant to give an aerial advantage over enemies that can only remain on the ground. Kage are considered angels by westerners and foreigners, but their wings are actually closer in relation to doves. That's why they use doves as messengers." She turned to the battle; there was a critical piece of information that Rena needed if she was going to survive. "Rena, that's a Kekkai Gekai! The weak spot is the point on the back between the wings. If you can hit there, the Kekkai Genkai will break and she won't be able to move for a minute!"

"Got it!" Rena shouted back. "Thanks, mom!"

"No problem!"

"So now she's calling you her mother?" The voice was terrifying; nobody had felt this chakra creep up on them, but it was unmistakably the same they had come across during the preliminaries. Sansa dropped to her knees, bowing her head in respect.

"Lady...Lady Elliel."

The eyes were terrifying, and yet, unmasked. These eyes had more bloodlust than Gaara himself; they worshipped destruction.

"Is that useless piece of trash down there my daughter?" The cloaked figure cocked its head in curiosity. "She's getting decimated."

"Please don't speak so harshly of her, Your Highness. She doesn't remember."

The eyes basked in purple snapped down to Sansa's cowering self. "Excuse me? Do you mean to tell me that I don't know what's best for my spawn? Tell me, Sansa. When did you intend on contacting me with the information that she was alive?"

"My Lady, please forgive me."

"I know you were intending on keeping her like this. If only all of us had the luxury of running away from our duties. And as much as I applaud you for your efforts, I still think..."

In a flash, the cloaked woman was choking Sansa.

"That you're an idiot for trying to hide her."

"You...you were murdered by your son!"

Sansa was abruptly dropped.

"And who are you?"

Everyone was plastered to their spots in fear. If they tried to move or speak, they'd find it impossible. They wouldn't speak to or about her unless she allowed it. Only their eyes would move.

The Kage Jonin stood, the only one protected.

"Ah, you're one of the bearers of the dove wings, are you?" She swept towards the Jonin. "Any last words?"

"Elliel Hikari, head of the Hikari Clan, and mother of the weapon constructed to destroy all ninja, Rena Hikari."

"All is a little excessive. I only throw Rena where I want her to kill people; she's simply a weapon constructed for my own entertainment." A devious grin splashed across the figure's face. "What's it to you?"

"I...I... You were murdered by your son..." The Jonin repeated, dumbly.

"How annoying. You sound like a broken record." She sighed. "Such were the days when intelligent conversation was fruitful."

"My Lady, I..." Elliel turned back to Sansa.

"Relax. I won't punish either of you, but it seems like my child is having troubles. In the next three blows, she's going to die. I came here to prevent that fate; it would be troublesome, should she die. I need her for further uses."

"Please don't interfere!" Sansa begged.

"I'm rethinking not punishing you. However, you have no control over me. In fact, it's quite the opposite."

Long, manicured nails painted purple were attached to a hand that exposed itself from the robe; the hand was youthful. The woman had to be in her 20s or 30s. Elliel turned Sansa's head side to side.

"So, Akito blessed an idiot like you with immortality. Ah, well. It values self-preservation above all." Rena was struck down again; there were cuts all over her body. The final blow would be dealt soon, as she could barely move. "Have you told Rena that she is a monster? Don't make the mistake of saying 'Jinchuriki', because that's not what she is. After the extensive 300 years she's been with it, don't you think it's become a part of her now? Well, you only have the sins of humanity to blame."

She outstretched a manicured hand, and a pole began to form. Two blades extended, opposite on either side. It was like a mirror, but flipped; a double-headed scythe. It seemed like an impractical weapon.

"Lady Elliel, please..." Sansa whimpered.

"Make no mistake. You can abandon me and run from servitude, but do not think I'll allow my own daughter to escape her birthright." She raised the scythe into the air, and threw it. "She was a mindless killing machine for me once, and soon, she will revert back to being such a machine." Elliel turned, hooking her fingers into the Kage Jonin's collar. "You can't stop me, Sansa. You'll hear from me in the future; but, for the next few years, I'll be busy. Make sure that she's cultivated properly. Also, I'm taking this one with me."

With those words, she disappeared, and movement was possible.

The scythe landed right in front of Rena, causing Kana to jump back a few yards in shock. Meanwhile, the heated debate of what the hell happened between all of the shinobi who had been paralyzed was broken when they saw Rena go for the scythe.

"I can explain everything after the Chuunin Exams, but please, not here. Not anywhere near Rena."

"You came to the Hidden Sand, nine months pregnant and I was there when you gave birth to Rena. How could that woman be Rena's mother?" Baki asked.

"It's hard to explain. We're both her mother... Look, to sate your curiosity, think of an angel who had lost both of her wings. That was Rena. She was the product of love between the Hikari clan and the Kage clan; her father ripped her wings from her, leaving two major scars on her back. There was a big misunderstanding, and a scramble which ended in Rena killing her father. That'll explain to you why Luna Kage wants her dead; they're full siblings. One still has their wings, however."

"Can you actually take a Kekkai Genkai from someone?" Baki asked, interrupting her.

"Yes. This Kekkai Genkai becomes almost useless if someone rips out your wings. Notice that I said rips, not cuts. Roots and all. If you just cut them off, they can grow back from the roots. Ripping them out is much more painful."

And then, Rena reached towards the scythe. The shinobi wanted to watch the fight's finish; to see the conclusion of the fight, between the broken angel and the one who floated on the air.

Gaara's nails dug into his arms. So, she didn't remember a single thing, and that was why she had an outburst. He wondered if Sansa would ever stop lying to Rena. He was also curious about the scars. He would check later.

As she touched the scythe, a burst of chakra energized her. She launched forwards, scythe in hand, and swiped downwards. It passed right through Kana. Rena knew what this scythe was.

"Well, that was useless. Was that really you- Guahk!" Blood came out in torrents from Kana's mouth, and she dropped to the floor, surprise in her eyes.

"This blade isn't meant to cut the outside of your body. That's the other blade. However, this side cuts internal organs... I may not have cut you open on the outside, but on the inside, I can verify that you're bleeding internally."

Yes, this was hers, she was sure of it. This scythe was one she had fought with before, even if she didn't remember. She remembered flitting around a battlefield, switching sides with ease. This weapon was meant to hit with both sides in turn; one side first, then whirl around with the other, and repeat. She quickly spun it in her hand. It was lightweight, and felt as if it belonged there. She easily spun it around without messing up, and switched it between hands around her back, going in circles.

The announcer felt for a pulse. "The winner of this match is Rena Hikari."

There were cheers; the match had took an unexpected turn.

Meanwhile, the Hokage was given files by Ibiki; there was no doubt about it. This was the legendary Rena Hikari, who was once a part of several Great Ninja Wars. She had slaughtered entire villages, under the orders of the Hikari Clan; she was a notorious S-Level Ninja, with a large bounty on her head of forty million yen.

"Don't let her leave the Hidden Leaf." The Hokage ordered. He gave the files to Ibiki. "Make sure to put these on my desk."

"Is there a problem with my Genin, Hokage?" The Kazekage asked.

"No, no problem at all. We only want to ask her a few things."

"I see."

The Kazekage went back to watching the Arena's matches. As Rena walked up the stairs, Sansa turned to anyone who had seen the ordeal.

"Please, I beg of you. Don't mention any of this to Rena... If you do, I'll have to kill you." Her tone was serious. "We ran to escape, and from more than just her mother. There are several shinobi who would most literally kill to get their hands on her; shinobi that can slaughter your families. Please think wisely. She's not harming anyone." Sansa's eyes turned back to the Chuunin's area. "Okay, that's a lie. She's killed two people, and although she's the only one, it was verifiably self defense. Besides, the Chuunin Exams are dangerous. You never know what to expect. There were 6 causalities alone during the preliminaries because of the Death Forest."

As Rena entered the room, she stopped, scythe in hand.

"Woah, are you guys having some sort of secret pep talk? Because I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to get your opponent pumped for battle." She was referring to the fact that all of the contestants and Jonin accompanying them were in a makeshift circle.

"Hey, all I'm doin' is telling them to fight like you, ya little shit." Sansa muttered. Baki stared at her. Was the woman he had proposed to a lie? Not only her personality, but her rough way of speaking? Had everything he known been faked?

**Sasuke and Gaara's Fight – Timeskip Because I'm Really Lazy And You've Already Watched the Anime and it's really not worth rewriting because it'd be just a description of what happened during those battles. It would literally just be Naruto: The Book.**

Gaara's pained scream filled the arena. "BLOOD! IT'S MY BLOOD! AGH!" **[Blood looks really funny and I'm thinking its pronounced bloud.]**

"Gaara!" Rena screamed, prepared to vault over the metal bar and fall several meters downwards. Even if it broke her legs, it didn't matter. Kankuro grabbed her, disallowing her fall.

"Could Gaara be hurt?" Temari leaned over the railing with less enthusiasm than Rena.

"Stop!" Kankuro ordered, as Rena struggled against him.

"Why should I?! You guys have been talking about some sort of freaking plan all this time! What's going on? Why should I trust you?!"

Kankuro almost wanted to spit back the same, but he remembered that she didn't remember anything. It was really Sansa he was angry at.

"We'll tell you, just calm down." Temari took charge when Kankuro didn't respond.

Another scream came from Gaara as Sasuke pulled off another chidori. "AAAAAAAAAGH!"

"Gaara!" Rena resumed freaking out. A very familiar arm shot out from the shell, the arm of Shukaku. After about 30 seconds, the shell of sand broke down and Gaara's figure was apparent. He was holding his shoulder, and red liquid seeped between the cracks of his fingers.

"I was right, Gaara's hurt. The shell broke before the change was complete!" Temari's face was cloaked in terror as she realized what this meant; this could have jeopardized the plan for taking down the Hidden Leaf.

Feathers fell from the sky, and Rena began to feel drowsy.

"It's a Genjutsu. Release." Marionetta made a handsign that released it. The other Sand Genin copied her.

"Are we being attacked? What's happening?" Rena looked around.

"Just follow us. It's all part of a plan that the Kazekage and Orochimaru cooked up to overtake the Hidden Leaf." Temari dropped down, and ran towards Gaara. Rena followed her.

"Orochimaru is dangerous!" Rena snarled.

"When he's an ally, he's fine."

"A snake has two sides. He'll betray the Hidden Sand."

"Shut up already, Rena!" Kankuro said. He tended to Gaara, while Baki and Kabuto showed up with Kakashi. Sasuke was demanding answers.

"Kankuro, Temari, Rena. Take Gaara and go! He's a critical part of the plan as the Hidden Sand's trump card!"

"But Sensei-" Kankuro began.

"Go!" Baki was willing to die to distract the Jonin. Sansa stepped in between Baki and the students. "Sansa..."

"I was lied to. Manipulated by my own Fiancee. As angry as I am, the Sand's best interests are my best interests. So go, you guys. I'll make sure these Hidden Leaf fools don't get past the Devil Tactician of the Sand." Sansa bit her finger and clapped her hands together. "Summoning Jutsu!" A Fuma Shuriken appeared in Sansa's hand, nearly as large as Sansa. "Now go, or I'll kick your ass, Rena!"

Although Baki could have argued that she had lied and manipulated him, he realized that the Sansa he knew was the true Sansa. Just from her actions here, even though she could have abandoned the Hidden Sand and taken Rena with her, she'd rather fight by her Fiancee's side.

Even if it was a lie, even if he would die with a stranger, he still loved her.

Rena nodded. "Let's go." Temari helped Kankuro with Gaara. The four disappeared and reappeared on the wall.

Marionetta and Cheshire looked back at Rena, and Cheshire gave her a grin. "Seeya later! We'll help out around here. We shinobi have to stick together!"

Rena nodded, and went forwards, the Sand Siblings following. Rena didn't look back.

Sasuke quickly slipped past Baki, and pushed Cheshire out of the way. "Dammit!"

As they ran, Rena turned her head to the side, where an unconscious Gaara was regaining chakra. "He was keeping all of this from me? That the Hidden Sand was using him as a weapon?"

"He probably did it for a reason. He probably just didn't want you to know what the Sand sees him as, in case you'd start seeing him that way, too." Temari sped up.

"He isn't just a weapon, you two. He's your brother."

"He told me himself he didn't see me as his brother. If Temari didn't save me from him, I'd be dead." Kankuro gave her a strained smile.

"Gaara wouldn't...!"

"Rena, you need to stop denying it. Gaara is a monster. He may be our sibling, but he's not human. The Shukaku made sure of that."

Rena's expression went dark. That was enough.

"Excuse me? All I hear from your idiotic lips is 'Shukaku', 'Weapon', and 'Gaara'. If anything, you and everyone else in the Hidden Sand should hate your father for sealing Shukaku inside Gaara! He was never given a choice, you bastard! Who the hell are you to call him a monster when you haven't been in his life?! Do you know how alone he must have been?! It's the entire village's fault he turned out this way. I am not going to abandon him like you did." Rena yelled, reaching her limit. Both Temari and Kankuro were struck silent, and started to move slower. "I am not afraid of him. You are. Don't mistake me for a coward. You don't know him like I do. I was the only one who was ever there for him!"

Sasuke had caught up to them, and had witnessed the entire rant.

"End of the line. I caught up to you Sand Village freaks." Kankuro gave him a long, hard glare.

"Go. I should be able to hold Uchiha off for long enough for you to get away." Temari opened the three moons of her fan, turning to face Sasuke. Rena replaced her to support Gaara, and despite the fact she was still bleeding from her fight, she ignored the pain. All three disappeared.

"Damn it!" Sasuke growled. "They're getting away. Looks like I have to take care of you first."

Temari prepared herself. Her chakra was still depleted from fighting against Shikamaru. She may not be able to win, but she would hopefully be able to hold him off long enough for Gaara to get away.

Rena and Kankuro sped through the forest, carrying an unconscious Gaara.

"You really meant what you said back there, about Gaara?" Kankuro was hesitant; did he really want to know? The girl he dreamt of marrying, feeling that strongly about his brother... it hurt.

"I did, I meant every word. You people are so cruel to him. He strikes back cruelly because he's only ever been taught cruelty is the way to strike." As they sped through the rooftops, Kankuro began to understand. The kiss he saw, the date, the ridiculous amount of time they spent together, Gaara's declaration... It was all foreshadowing this.

"Well, I won't give up." Kankuro stated.

"On what? Why are you getting so off-topic?"

Damn, Rena was colder than the Land of Iron. She didn't even realize how he felt. "Nothing, I just made a promise to myself.

"Good for you. Let's focus on getting Gaara away from the kid with the lightning hands before you fulfill that promise." Kankuro was being annoying today.

Kankuro knew that saving Gaara meant losing Rena. However, seeing Gaara gone would not only destroy the mission and probably lead to an attack on the Hidden Sand, but it would also destroy Rena's heart. He'd rather lose her than see her devastated.

Sasuke barreled through the trees, Temari a few steps behind him. "I'm sorry; I couldn't hold him off long enough."

"Temari, take Gaara and go. I'll take care of Sasuke." Temari nodded, picking up Gaara. Rena stared at Kankuro.

"I'm going with them, you know."

"I know, but first..." He pulled Rena to him, kissing her deeply. "For luck. Take care of my brother." He knew he might not walk away from this fight alive.

"Got it. Thanks, Kankuro. I'll see you soon." She followed after Temari and Gaara. The Hidden Sand sure had some strange new customs for luck; she wasn't really up on the fads.

Rena helped Temari carry Gaara.

During that timeframe, Gaara came to.

"Put me down, Temari."

"Can you walk?" Temari asked, worriedly. Rena realized that she might have been too hard on Kankuro and Temari; it seemed like they truly filled their positions as the older siblings for Gaara, almost willingly. The reason they were doing this wasn't just because of the Hidden Sand, it was because they loved their brother. She'd have to apologize after this was over, and then yell at the Kazekage for putting his own children in a dangerous position and doing this in the first place.

Temari put him down, getting out some healing salve. Rena crouched down supporting Gaara while looking to the area behind them; their opponents were coming up fast.

"Come on, Gaara. We have to get you moving, or the whole plan will fail." She opened it, and Gaara grabbed his head in pain. The blood coming from him was a regular red, but Rena could tell the wound hurt.

"Leave me alone, Temari..." Gaara glanced at Temari, and as far as Rena could tell, nothing was wrong with him. "Go away...!" Rena's eyes widened. It sounded like there was care in Gaara's voice... maybe even a warning. However, the care faded away with what Gaara said next. He rose to his feet, turning to the place he expected the enemy to come from. "They are nothing but a nuisance. Beat it!" He backhanded Temari. She flew into the tree, hitting it hard. She slid down the trunk, coughing up blood from the impact. It seemed like she wouldn't be able to move for a while. "I don't need you." Rena stopped supporting Sasuke, out of fear. Were they right? Was Gaara really a monster? Temari groaned, and Rena rushed to her side.

"Temari!"

Gaara glanced at the girl. How fickle was she going to be?! She swore loyalty to him! He'd pick her back up when he dealt with Sasuke. She needed to remember who she belonged to. His eyes moved back to the expected area where the enemy would come from. He closed his eyes, calming himself slightly... and reopened them, only to find Sasuke standing on a branch above with a smirk on his face.

"I've got no idea what scheme you Sand Village clowns have got going, but I'll stop it." The smirk was replaced by a serious face. "No matter what it is!"

Rena's head turned to Sasuke, worry painted on her face for all to see. Temari's eyes were widened, and her face was twisted in a frown. Gaara's sand shield began to crack.

"Besides... I'm dying to see what you really are."

Gaara's sand shield cracked further, hatred in his eyes. He couldn't hold it back any longer. However, something else had different ideas. He let out a scream, grabbing his head.

"Gaara!" Temari and Rena said, in unison. His sand shield was cracking at a rapid pace now, but nobody was attacking him. What was happening?! Rena didn't know anything. Why the hell didn't she know anything!?

Temari's eyes were filled with terror. "Oh, no..."

"What?! What the hell is going on?!" Rena snapped.

"It's happening! Any second now, and he's going to let that thing out! No, not now... not now!" Her voice then got louder. "No, Gaara, remember our mission!"

"We're so alike, Sasuke Uchiha. I don't have friends as you have, but they're not what makes you strong." Gaara spoke calmly, but the tone of his voice was terrifying. Rena had never met someone like this. What the hell... just what the hell had happened to Gaara while she was gone?! "It's your purpose that does it. In that way, we're alike.... You!" His voice became much harsher, a husky yell. Gaara's bloodlust was flowing off of him, moreso than the last time she had been confronted with it. She couldn't save him from himself, not like this. Who... who was the person before her? "But mine is the stronger purpose, for only by destroying you and all you represent can I even prove that I exist! Only by killing you, can I know what life is...!" Gaara's eyes narrowed.

Rena began to tremble. Her breathing got heavier. This was fear.... This was absolute terror. Would Gaara kill her, too...? Just to feel alive, would he steal away her breath...? She would give herself to him, but this... this was terrifying. The bloodlust made her shudder.

"You..." He began again, after pausing. Rena's eyes widened; his tone was getting more violent. "You! You are my..." Another pause... a single heartbeat passed. There was absolute silence. And then, Gaara let out another scream, holding his head. He fell to his knees. "Aaaaaaaaaagh!"

Rena was stuck between terror and worry. She wanted to go to him, but she knew that would end badly. If she were to intervene, there was a chance that either Sasuke or Gaara would attack her... maybe even on purpose. Sasuke let out a gasp, surprised. However, Temari was even more terrified then Rena was.

She made a face of absolute despair as Gaara's sand shield cracked; his screaming got louder.

"You are my prey!" Gaara screamed, viciously. His gourd erupted into sand, and extended to cover half of his body. An arm extended from the shell that had once been his gourd. "My prey!" He screamed again. He screamed it over, and over, and over, twisting his head from side to side. Gaara was... insane. He was long gone...

Rena's eyes widened, and she sat, paralyzed. She couldn't do anything. How did that little boy become like this? How could he have possibly...

Rena was stuck between her two emotions; alarms rung off in her head. One of terror, and one of wanting to reach out, to comfort the obviously suffering Gaara. Temari was just as frozen as Rena; they could do nothing but watch. Why couldn't she move? Why were her limbs not working? It wasn't Gaara she was afraid of. It couldn't be...!

Temari glanced at Rena. She almost felt bad for her; soon, she would see the monster Gaara truly was. It seemed as if Rena was already paralyzed by fear. However, she couldn't rest on the emotional concerns of her friend at the moment. There were much more pressing issues, like Gaara's transformation. Temari would talk to her later... if they survived. It was highly unlikely.

Gaara was trembling and salivating, half of his face covered in sand. He looked like a twisted monster. The look on the human side of his face was enough to give anyone nightmares for weeks on end; it was the look of an insane, bloodthirsty demon. Even the Uchiha was frozen in terror. Temari jumped to her feet, gasping and covering her eyes from the sight. She didn't want to see this, not again. She began to cry.

Rena looked up at the trembling Temari. She looked like a terrified child; memories had flooded through her mind of what it was like, what the demon inside Gaara had done.

"Now..." Gaara opened his eye. "Let me feel it...!" It was different, way different. It was the eye of a demon. Gaara launched himself at Sasuke, and Rena gasped. Gaara's outstretched claw reached towards Sasuke... why wasn't he moving?! Saliva was coming out of Gaara's mouth, flying into the air. He was a ravenous predator, with eyes only on his prey.

But there was more than one helpless prey to hunt; he couldn't forget the girl. He didn't need to look at her to know she was still there, and that she finally feared him. His claw slammed into the branch, and Temari shielded herself from the wind of the impact. The tree toppled to the ground, leaving clawmarks in its trunk.

Sasuke had gone into hiding, and Gaara swung his head from side to side, looking for Sasuke. "Are you shocked by my true form, Sasuke Uchiha!?" Gaara was almost excited; he had a sadistic look on his face. It couldn't be the real Gaara. That's all that Rena repeated in her head. "Come out, come out, Sasuke Uchiha!"

Gaara was in a crouching position, on all forms. He had stopped moving his head, and resorted to only moving his eyes. Still, the terror of a monster like that searching for you... it had to take its toll in some form, wouldn't it? Gaara turned his head to the left, giving another one of his largely sadistic smiles.

Sasuke came out from behind a tree.

"So there you are! Huuuuuuuuuraaaaaaaaaaaah!" Gaara extended the monstrous arm towards Sasuke, who was already headed for Gaara. Sasuke tried to dodge, but the arm was already on top of him. It hit him in the side, and he fell.

It was a substitution jutsu; a log was in place of Sasuke. Gaara's face wasn't one of surprise, but more of pure rage.

"Guess again!" Sasuke announced his presence, from behind Gaara. Why the hell would he do something like this?! Giving away his position when he could have freely attacked...!

What does this remind you of?

A voice invaded Rena's head... she shook it off, only presuming it to be a memory. She can't be having flashbacks now! Not during this... not like this!

Sasuke threw several kunai at Gaara, who easily blocked them with his arm. An attack like that didn't even faze Gaara! If there was ever a time to use the word hopeless, now was... wait, was Rena cheering for Sasuke...? Or could it be that Gaara's real form had actually... fazed her? No, it wasn't that! It wasn't...!

Sasuke backed the fuck up, and Gaara let out a malicious laugh. Gaara's sand began to consume the shuriken. Damn it, now Sansa's swearing habit... no, she needed to clear her mind! She needed to regain control of her body, stop thinking, and start doing! How could she bring her Gaara back to her?!

"Here, you can have them back!" Gaara growled, and the sand spit out the shuriken. Only, they were on fire! They crashed through a branch, igniting the pieces of wood that were shattered. Sasuke moved to defend himself, and disappeared...!

Gaara was in confusion. When would this Sasuke stop with the tricks?! "Only a clone...?" His eyes narrowed once more; he was starting to get pissed off. Where was the blood? "What's wrong, Sasuke Uchiha?" Gaara called out. He was feeling superior; Rena could tell. He had the kind of confidence that someone strong used to talk down to someone weak. "Why do you run and hide? Why don't you attack?!" Instead of anger, there was an evil smile on Gaara's face. The teeth on the right side... the monster side... were longer, and sharper. Rena's trembling got worse; no, she couldn't think of things like this! She was getting distracted... she needed to think of a way to stop Gaara...!

Suddenly, Gaara grabbed his head. Rena shot to her feet. Even though she had somehow managed to do so, her body still wouldn't move. But Gaara was in extreme pain....! She fell to her knees once more, her legs numb. Gaara began to scream once more, falling to his knees as well.

When he looked up, all of the air was stolen from her lungs. She didn't think it possible, but his bloodlust had risen. The look in his eyes proved that he couldn't be saved... but why was he doing this? Why was Gaara like this?!

The next words that came from Gaara almost broke her heart. "Why....do you always run away...?"

He was talking about the past, when they were 6. She was sure of it... the time when he... her heart beat painfully. The time when they were so terrified that they ran from him, despite him getting their ball. She had been in such a rage then; even though she was popular amongst the children, she had told them she never wanted to play with them again. This was when she had found out.

Gaara roared in rage, no doubt fueled by the pain of the past. He was in agony, and he was alone. She needed to... even if it meant dying, that was okay. She lived for Gaara, didn't she? So what did it matter if he was a monster? "I won't let you get away! You can't escape, do you hear?!" Gaara cocked his head, an insane smile crossing his face. "Sasuke Uchiha!"

Rena took a deep breath.

Hey, doesn't this excite you? We used to do things like this, too.

There it was again, that damn voice... that damn memory! She once more shook it away. There were more important things at the moment! She'd have her memory lane later!

Her heartbeat slowed, and she began to calm down. She was still shaking, and paralyzed, but she knew if she kept it up like this she would be able to comfort him, to save him from himself.

Gaara started to lash out randomly, and jumped from the branch he was on. He was searching. His attack cut down several trees. "Hahahahahaha...!" Gaara's laughter was getting more insane as time went on. "Hahahahahauh! Ahahahaha!" He swiveled his head around again. "What's wrong? You're not afraid of me, are you?! Yes, that's it! You fear me, don't you, Uchiha?!"

Rena steadied her trembling self.

"You live in fear everyday I'm alive!"

If Sasuke didn't start attacking soon, he'd be dead. There was no way that he could keep up this game of hide and seek; Gaara's chakra wasn't going to be depleted any time soon. This wasn't the same as his; it was a mixture... but what other chakra was there?

A shiver coursed through Rena's body. It wasn't fear, but more of sadness, loneliness. What had Gaara endured while she was gone? What the hell had the Hidden Sand done to him...? She glanced at Temari.

What had Gaara done to the Hidden Sand...?

"What's wrong?!" Gaara shouted again, poised to strike at a moment's notice. "Sasuke Uchiha! Are you really so afraid of me?!" His insult was more of a primal roar. "Has all your hatred and sense of purpose dwindled down to this?! Abject fear?!" From Gaara's human side, there was more saliva than before. It seemed like it was progressively building up. "Is this existence you live now that of a coward?!" Even though he was hurling out insults, Gaara was still searching. Did he have common sense left, or was it nothing more than bloodlust driving him? If Sasuke found a way to outsmart him, could Gaara recreate a plan in time?! "Come out and fight me... show me that I'm wrong! Prove that your existence... is stronger than mine! You'll never know unless you fight me!" What was Gaara's obsession with fighting Sasuke all about?! "You'll never feel it!" He roared. "Attack!" He screamed, and birds scattered into the air. One of them, a dove with a headband around its neck. However, nobody noticed, and the bird flew free.

Sasuke had a chidori at the ready... he was going to attack Gaara...! Why didn't he run...? Why couldn't Sasuke just leave them alone? Gaara turned to the sound of the chidori, ecstatic. He was starving for physical conflict... anyone could piece that together, just by seeing him.

Rena had regained some movement, but Temari was still frozen in fear.

"Good, now we're gonna have some fun!"

I like this. This is a lot more interesting than what you normally do. Hey, we should abandon the Hidden Sand and go on a killing rampage with this guy.... You, me, him. Let's go... let's do it. You know you want to. Your blood is calling to you, stirring deep inside... you know you want to.

It was clear that this voice wasn't just a memory anymore. It was now talking to her, referring to the current events. She had to ignore it; she was definitely going mad.

"Come on, Sasuke Uchiha!"

Temari stood, paralyzed before the current events. This was slaughter... Uchiha didn't even stand a chance...! This was what she had feared... needless death... war... it didn't matter...! Not when a monster like this would be exposed to the world, and for what, just because the Hidden Leaf took some jobs?! This was a foolish pursuit!

Both Gaara and Sasuke jumped into the air, aiming for one another.

Chidori ripped through the arm of sand. Gaara screamed, sailing through the air. Could attacks... no, if attacks on the sand didn't hurt him, then it wouldn't hurt unless it was his arm ripped in half. This must be a scream of rage.

"Gaara!" Temari screamed, unable to move. She couldn't go. She couldn't stay. What could she do?!

Gaara lay on the branch, completely silent for a moment. Had Gaara been knocked out?!

The laughter coming from Gaara was almost inhuman. He sat up, and Rena realized that this was the worst point. It could get no more horrifying than this; the new expression on his face made her legs tremble. Damn it, she was just as paralyzed as before! Gaara's laughter grew louder and louder. It echoed through the forest. "I see, so that's what it is!" He stood, grabbing his arm while laughing.

Temari began to talk. "...Amazing...! After all Uchiha's been through, he was still able to counter Gaara's attack!" Temari looked in terror at Sasuke. She almost feared for his life.

"Now, it's clear to me exactly why I've been looking forward to this...!" Gaara grinned maliciously. "This...pain...!" He dug his fingers into the sand on his shoulder. Oh, god, was he a masochist?! "What a thrill it will be to crush such an opponent, capable of wounding me so badly!"

It wasn't really bad. This actually broke Rena's train of thought; it came to an absolute stop. Gaara's injuries really weren't much to a normal shinobi, but to him, since it might be the first time he'd ever seen his own blood, it may seem like a large injury.

"Such a victory will make me feel what it means to truly be alive!" His voice was hoarse from all the screaming he had been doing. No doubt his throat would feel raw later on. Temari was locked in thought, just as Rena was. However, she was comparing Gaara and Sasuke...

She clapped her hands together, interlocking her fingers and she began to pray, pray that nothing happened, that Gaara would stop. No matter how unlikely it was, she needed some sort of consolation.

"There's more, so much more!" From the back of the ground, sand fell to the ground. However, it was forming an irregular shape. It became a tail, with strange markings alike to the arm. He growled, and Temari shook where she stood. The tail was huge and monstrous.

Unexpectedly, Gaara launched himself at Sasuke using his arm and tail for momentum. Gaara had sped up; he tore the branch Sasuke had been standing on to shreds. Sasuke jumped in the air, narrowly dodging the attack.

Gaara once more made himself a human... monster... slingshot. Gaara shot towards Sasuke once more... it was obvious that the Uchiha was outmatched.

Sasuke let out a fireball jutsu, and Gaara was cloaked in flame. However, he shielded himself with the sand... when he came from the cloud of fire, his expression was filled with bloodlust. It was like someone had left it to marinate for thousands of years, a hate that was made specially for this match

It became apparent that an attack like that wouldn't even slow Gaara down. "You're finished!" Gaara's excitement was reaching optimal levels. Gaara hit Sasuke, and even trees couldn't slow down the recoil. He slammed through several branches until he finally hit the trunk of a tree, from which there was a large impact.

Gaara jumped onto a branch. His laugh was more gravelly than before; it was obvious his mood was getting worse... or perhaps this was Gaara in a good mood. Rena had once more stopped the fear from invading her. She was his object, and he was her everything. He was everything she lived for. He was her hope, her version of hope.

Hope doesn't exist.

Her eyes widened; this voice really meant she was going insane.

"Is that it...?! That was the best demonstration you could make of the value of your existence?!" Gaara sounded like he was filled with rage at Sasuke's weakness. "That's just pathetic, truly." Rena realized that it wasn't anger, but... mocking...? "Your hatred... it's weak! You're far too soft and forgiving! The greater the hunger for revenge, the greater the hate! And it's the power of hate that gives you the strength to kill...!"

Gaara was a monster. Rena had come to terms with that.

"Your hate is weaker than mine, far weaker...!"

He was a monster obsessed with death, hatred and strength.

"You know what that means, don't you!?"

But she still cared. She still loved him. Beyond all of the darkness, Gaara was still in there.

"Just shut up!" Sasuke yelled, finally responding to Gaara's taunts.

"It means you can't win. You are weaker than I am!" Gaara's mouth was widely open, saliva freely falling. Rena almost bitterly laughed to herself. If she could see a guy do that and still love him, then Gaara could come back. The Gaara that she knew and loved could come back...!

Sasuke readied another Chidori, and shot towards Gaara. Gaara replied with speeding towards him, as well. The two clashed, and blood rained from the air...whose was it?!

The breaking of Gaara's sand filled Rena's ears, and the arm disappeared. Sasuke was covered in marks, and his Chidori was still freely flowing. Gaara screamed in pain. The arm that wasn't affected by the sand began to grow the other arm; Sasuke fell on his face.

Gaara saw an opening to kill, and he laughed, going for it. He was happy...? At least, that's what it looked like. Gaara reached for him, the massive arm outstretched... why wasn't Sasuke moving?

A flash of orange blocked Sasuke and Gaara's path to each other.

Blondie kicked Gaara in the face, sending him flying. Gaara flew backwards, sliding up the trunk of a tree. Clawmarks signified that he was clinging to it, despite his chakra control. The annoying pink-haired girl and a puppy were at Sasuke's side in an instant.

There was a look in Blondie's eyes, one that Rena couldn't explain. She'd seen it before, but maybe it was a normal thing.

Gaara looked pissed. He didn't seem too happy to have Naruto interfere. It seemed like he only wanted to fight and kill Sasuke.

Naruto seemed to be hesitating to attack, ignoring the tactical advantage of being the first to move. The dog and the girl began to care for the Uchiha, while Blondie seemed to be interested in fighting Gaara.

"Those two!" Temari growled, glaring at them. They'd screw everything up! Rena, however, just wanted them to leave... escape and leave them alone.

But that wouldn't be any fun.

There was that damn voice again! Where was it coming from?! Rena shook her head, annoyed. She wanted it to go away!

Sasuke seemed to be in immense pain...

"So, it's you." Gaara said, almost nonchalantly. "You're the one I didn't kill that day." It was obvious; this was the reason Gaara was angry. Blondie's eyes were filled with more fear than Rena and Temari combined.

"Guys, get up! We have to go now!" Blondie screamed, but it was too late. Gaara shot past him, ignoring him. He was headed for his prey; going in for the kill... he was going to kill Sasuke. More importantly, however, the defenseless girl was in the way...

Rena could only imagine the terror of being directly in Gaara's path at the moment.

"Die, Sasuke Uchiha!" Gaara screamed. However, despite her fear, the girl got in the way. This seemed to cause Gaara to hesitate.

"Sakura, no!" Blondie shouted.

"Move it!" Gaara quickly recovered, slamming his arm into the annoying girl. It extended all the way to a tree trunk, where he pinned her. She seemed to faint on impact. Gaara glared at the girl with intense hatred. He then grabbed the monstrous side of his face, another headache racking his brain. While Gaara was distracted, Blondie grabbed Sasuke out of harm's way.

"Sakura!"

"That girl must be out of her mind, facing Gaara now..!" Temari muttered. She wondered how the girl could even move in this situation.

"Why can't I...?" Gaara murmured, the headache getting stronger. His memories were alike to poison, infecting him with thoughts of the past... thoughts that were better buried and dead. The night he met her, the night she went away, the night he was betrayed. All happening over the course of months...

He had come back from another one of his late night expeditions, unable to sleep. However, the sound of crying in an alley had lured him back... No, he didn't want to remember. It was a disgusting memory, and he didn't need it! It was filled with 'care' and 'love' and other emotions he didn't need.

Even the night of the betrayal, he couldn't find her... not even during the day... she wasn't there....!

And him. Them. Especially him.

He regained himself, his eyes filled with hatred.

"What's the matter, weren't you about to make a run for it?" Gaara growled, mocking Blondie. "Who are these two? Who are they to you?!"

"Huh?! Who are they to me?! They're my friends, is who they are!" Blondie yelled. This was great; this would only function to piss Gaara off more. "You try laying so much as another finger on the two of them and I will pulverize you!" Blondie pointed a finger at Gaara. Yeah, Rena was certain he was trying to piss Gaara off. That wasn't tactically advantageous at all. At this point, it was better that Gaara was calm rather than worked up; his strength seemed to increase the more insane he got, but if he seemed sane... he tended to hold back, from what Rena saw.

Yes, it pissed Gaara off; he squeezed the girl, who screamed. "What's the matter?" Gaara taunted. "Weren't you gonna pulverize me? Well, come on then." It seemed that Gaara wasn't as insane as before, but perhaps Rena had misanalyzed the situation. Maybe it was better he was swinging around blindly... but now, he had a hostage.

"Damn it!" Blondie shot forwards, with no other options. He attempted to punch Gaara, but Gaara's tail hit him backwards without any trouble. Blondie was no match for him. Blondie proceeded to get back up; he had determination, at least. Gaara began to laugh, a laugh harsher and louder than the ones that came before.

"And that's exactly why you can't win." Gaara had gone from laughing to glaring in a split second. "As long as you fight for the sake of others, you'll never advance beyond this level. Only one can remain undefeated, and only he will feel what it's like to truly exist. Forget your friends, and fight for yourself."

"You're insane." Blondie snarled. "Forget my friends?"

"The trivial feelings like friendship and loyalty cloud your focus." Gaara's gaze shifted to Rena; to have his attention, like this, even for just a moment, caused her to collapse to her knees in fear. She knew he was talking to her at the moment. Loyalty was the thing that he associated with Rena. "And you'll die."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Keep talking while you can, cause I'm about to shut you up once and for all!" Gaara turned his attention back to Blondie, who was now heading for him once more.

Gaara grinned. "You don't understand what real strength is."

"I'm taking you down!" Blondie raised the kunai above his head.

Gaara chuckled, and a headache decided to hit him at that exact moment. He batted Blondie out of the sky with his tail and a scream. The headache seemed to be hitting him harder than the last one; if Rena didn't get a hold of herself and face her fear, she'd never be able to see Gaara again... in fact, she doubted Sansa would let her.

Gaara's head snapped back up; he was done. "What's the matter?! Why don't you attack? Don't you care what happens to your precious 'friends'?!" Rena stood to her feet. If she didn't intervene, then the three would die. If she did intervene, there was a likely chance he'd only kill her and continue anyways.

Blondie called out the name of his friend, again. "Let her go!" He yelled. He began to make some handsigns. Rena gasped; was he finally going to fight?! "Summoning jutsu!"

She leaned forwards; perhaps what he was going to summon would help hi-

It was a toad. A tiny, tiny toad.

"Oh, gimmie a break!" It seemed like the toad had said something. "I'm really starting to hate you stinking frogs!" The toad stuck its tongue out at Blondie. "Listen, I don't have time to play games, you slimy little squirt."

"Hmmmhm... worried about the others? That's your big mistake...!" Gaara looked up; both sides of his face had been consumed by sand, and it almost froze Rena's heart in fear. "When I fight, I fight for me and me alone!" Gaara's entire body quickly followed the consummation; there was no stopping it. Damn it, Rena had all this time to act and she didn't! Gaara's 'hand' separated from the rest of his body, keeping Sakura pinned. He grew another one, not caring about the fate of the previous one. "Only by attacking me and defeating me can you free her.... And you should hurry. With each passing second, the sand will harden until it crushes her to death."

Temari knew he was getting closer to a total possession. If he transformed into the Shukaku here, nobody would make it out alive.

"Sand Shuriken!" With the hesitation that Blondie had, he couldn't have expected Gaara to go on the attack. Shuriken made of sand flew towards him. He picked up the toad and dodged, jumping upwards. Unfortunately, he didn't dodge them all, and the impact of the sand shuriken caused him to fly backwards into a tree. He fell to a branch closer to the bottom of the tree.

"What's the matter?" Gaara applied pressure to the hand holding the girl. "Are you afraid of me, or are you still thinking of the best way to save your friends? Fool! Forget them, think only of yourself, love only yourself! That is what it means to be the strongest! What's wrong? You were so bold and cocky before!" It seemed like Gaara was more interested in talking than fighting at the moment, which was good. The less they fought, the safer they were. "Show me your strength! Let me grind it into dust before your eyes! Attack, you coward! Fight me, or I'll kill the girl right now!"

Naruto fell for Gaara's taunt, shooting towards him. "Okay, you asked for it! Multi-Shadow Clone Justu!" At least 20 of him appeared in the air. This was his amazing physical clone tactic. Rena took note of the handsign used to summon the clones; she would need it for later. She'd also practice in secret.

They all headed for Gaara, but... "Wind Style: Sandstorm Devestation!" He sucked in air and literally shot it back out at Naruto. Wait, when had Rena started to refer to Blondie by his name? Could it be she was actually starting to acknowledge that punk as a good ninja?

All of his clones were blown away; it seemed like Gaara was too powerful for him.

"I think I'll toy with you a while. I'll watch you abandon your friends and then beg for mercy before you die." Gaara threw another round of sand shuriken, which hit Blondie. Rena was actually starting to get worried, here. "And again!" Gaara hit him over and over with shuriken. "Sand Shuriken!" Yet another round...! They all hit perfectly. What the hell was that kid doing?!

"He... What's he doing?" Temari asked. Rena finally found her words.

"That's what I'm wondering! What the hell is that kid thinking!?"

"Weakling!" Temari glanced at Rena, who had finally gotten back on her feet. She wouldn't be afraid anymore, even if Gaara were to attack her next. She loved and cared about Gaara, and who he was didn't matter. "What is this? You come at me and that's all you've got? All that effort, and you couldn't even touch me. What a joke!" This was the most emotion that Gaara had shown yet.

Of course it is; he's having fun. We can, too.

Rena had grown accustomed to pushing and drowning the voice in her head; she wouldn't be fazed by it, either! It had nothing to do with this.

It seems that my time talking with you is up. You no longer feel fear... but the next time you feel an extremely strong negative emotion, beware... And, one last word of advice... Don't try to leave the area.

"Shadow-Clone Jutsu!" A yell broke her from arguing with the voice in her head. The boy was beginning to attack again, and she hoped he wouldn't die. She hoped that nobody would die. "Here it goes! Get ready for the Ultimate Secret Taijutsu! Naruto Uzumaki: Clone Body Slam!" He flew towards Gaara, but Gaara's grin only got wider. Gaara's arm ripped through the air and grabbed three Narutos, "Okay, let's do it!" The clones yelled. Naruto landed on Gaara's hand and threw himself towards Gaara. "Shadow-Clone Jutsu!" He made yet another handsign, and the clone quickly appeared where he had been. It slammed into the clone, taking it instead of him. He did it again, using the Shadow-Clone as a bounce-pad. "Take this! Leaf-Village secret Taijutsu, straight from the teachings of Kakashi-Sensei! Thousand years of Death!"

Rena almost burst out in laughter; the scene was so awkward. He had stuck a kunai... up... Oh, she wasn't even going to think about it. Temari seemed to be blushing, and she closed her eyes. This kid was a damned retard!

Gaara turned to Naruto, who was simply sitting and staring at him, waiting for a reaction. Gaara's tail slammed into him, causing him to go flying. Of course it wouldn't work; you'd need more than just a shuriken to pierce that sand.

And then, Gaara's butt exploded. Rena couldn't help herself; just the word made her explode into snickers. Temari looked at her, annoyed.

"I just can't help...it!" She began to laugh, rolling around on the tree branch they were on. "Did you see that?!"

"Rena, stop! Gaara might be...!"

With this, Rena stopped, flipping onto her feet. She paid attention to the clearing clouds of smoke. Half of Gaara's sand was starting to fall, and droop. The attack seemed to be effective. The kid slapped his hands together, gathering chakra; it was massive... it was off the charts!

There was a huge mushroom cloud, and hundreds of clones appeared in a flash. This was amazing...! To think he could pull off something like this...

"Gee, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to keep you waiting so long!" Damn him! He was just as cocky as ever! "So get ready for an original jutsu, straight from my Ninja Handbook!"

"What the?! How could he have summoned so many clones?!" It seemed like Gaara was in shock; he hadn't expected this, either.

"You've gotta be kidding!" Temari's shock was almost as amazing as the clones.

"Alright, everyone! Look out! Here I go! Let's do this!" Naruto's clones charged towards Gaara. Well, Gaara was certainly outnumbered... but was he outmatched? "Direct from Naruto's Ninja Handbook! Everywhere, Shuriken!"

Hundreds of shuriken headed towards Gaara. Since they weren't normal clones, that meant that all of the shuriken were physical...! Gaara was in trouble!

He had to use his arm to defend, but while he was defending from the front, clones came from both sides. They all kicked him at once, causing him to fly into the air. Clones came from above, as well... "Uzumaki Barrage!"

Gaara was absolutely pummeled by fists, coming from all directions. It seemed to further break and soften his sand, but Gaara didn't seem injured. However, a punch from two Blondies sent him sailing. However, Rena only cheered for Gaara; that was what loyalty was. She didn't want Blondie to win, but it really seemed like he was doing some damage. Gaara had to step up his game.

Gaara fell to the ground, a large cloud of dust rising from the impact. Rena almost jumped to go to him, but Temari's hand on her arm stopped her.

"This time, I'll use both legs for a barrage of four thousand kicks!"

"Unbelievable, taking on Gaara in his current form!" Temari said, making sure to keep a firm grip on Rena.

However, Gaara's blood had begun to boil. "There's absolutely no way that I'm gonna lose to a guy like him!" He roared, angrily. His sand began to extend, destroying all the clones in the area.

"Holy...fucking... shit..." Rena stared at the massive creature in the dust cloud. It was familiar to the one from all those years ago...!

"Well, what do you know? I never thought you would bring this out of me!" Sand enveloped Naruto, from head to toe. "This is the end for you.... Sand buria-"

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Large smoke cloud. Large toad.

Delayed reaction.

"Holyfuckingshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" Rena was beginning to freak out. It was a battle of giants!

"Naruto Uzumaki..." Gaara's voice seemed to be projected all across the forest, along with his extremely creepy laugh. "You really are good at amusing me."

The toad withdrew a sword, after seemingly having a conversation she couldn't hear. "That worthless little flunkie!" The toad yelled, quite randomly. He poised to strike, and then began to run. A toad, running. "Hang on tight, Small Fry!"

Rena didn't notice the sand collectively gathering around her ankles. The Shukaku had raised its arm to strike, and the toad had interrupted it with its blade. It ripped off the arm of the Sand Spirit. The impact of the sand dropping almost blew everyone away. Gaara's breathing had grown heavier, and the sand was up to Rena's knees by now, without her realizing it.

"Interesting..." Gaara's voice was louder now. "Interesting! Not bad, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Rena almost burst out into laughter once again. Why did Gaara keep using people's full names to address them? He really was the formal type, even if he was going completely insane. He was also extremely polite. Those were two good points, right off the bat!

"Rena, we have to go! He's going to do something bad!" Temari grabbed her arm, and pulled. However...

"Where do you think you're going?" The Shukaku's eyes landed on Rena and Temari, but he was speaking to Rena.

"R...Rena! Your legs!" Temari's face was once more cloaked in horror. The sand had reached her waist, and she was now floating off the ground.

"Temari...! Look, get going. I have to stay anyways!" The cloud of sand holding her brought her ever so closer to the Shukaku. Temari could only watch in despair.... "Temari, go! Find Kankuro. Find Sansa!" Temari turned, but Rena herself was consumed by the sand of the Shukaku.

Meanwhile, Gaara had exited the Sand himself; he was ready to fight. He wouldn't accidentally kill Rena if she were within him, and she wouldn't run away if she couldn't escape the sand. He could now attack without holding back; now that his toy was safely away from a breaking point, it was time. "To thank you for entertaining me here today, I'll show you the true power of the manifestation of the sand!"

However, things were getting rough for Rena. She could hardly breathe, trapped in a spherical room of sand, in the middle of the Shukaku. She couldn't hear anything but muffled voices; she had no idea what was going on, but she was gasping for air. It was clear she wouldn't survive for long.

So, it seems like the Shukaku is inviting us to sleep. What an honor...! Let's play with the nightmare of your special little Jinchuriki...

Rena couldn 't stop herself. Her hands formed a handsign. Her mouth began speaking without her okay... What the hell was this voice?! It was clear it wasn't just some disembodied form! "Secret Forbidden Jutsu... Shared Living Nightmare!"

She felt the voice laugh as she closed her eyes from a sudden burst of fatigue.

Watch out. You're entering his dream now, but... whatever damage you take in the dream, your body will share. It's quite possible that you may die....!

All that filled her head was eyes of red and an insane smile of a man. Who was he?! Why was he talking to her?!

Her body fell to sleep, and the voice waited. Would she wake? Or would she find her tomb within the walls of sand that was the Shukaku? It was worth using whatever power he had over her to stir things up; things were getting so fun.

There was so much suffering to be had, and with each bit, he devoured and became stronger.

After all, humanity created him, and all of the negative feelings it held did as well. He'd feed off the suffering of his seal, whether or not she liked it. He'd even take control of her body and wreak havoc someday...

Rena blinked; was she awake? She was back in the Hidden Sand. She walked to a shop, staring at the glass. Her reflection proved that she was 6, but... that was impossible. She turned to a flickering streetlight, and realized that it was night. A small child ran past her, bumping into her. He seemed afraid; he backed up. He had a bag in his hands, and his hair was a mixture of brown and red.

"Gaara?" Her eyes widened. It was her Gaara, at six years old. He was crying, clutching the medicine bag tightly in his hands.

"What the hell do you want from me?!" Sand flew at her from all directions. "Why do you always keep running away?!" She dodged, narrowly. The sand crashed to the ground, and Gaara dropped the bag of medicine, extending his hands towards her. He was now directly controlling the sand, which meant it would be much faster than before.

This was the battle that Rena lost and Gaara won, wasn't it? During the fight for the training area. However, Rena knew that this Gaara wouldn't stop himself. In this case, it was kill or be killed; but the voice's words flashed through her head. Any damage she took would be reflected on her physical body, right? But what about damage that Gaara took...? Could she bring herself to hit him?!

"Why do you keep.... Doing this? What have I done to you?!" Gaara screamed. It was obvious he didn't recognize her. She couldn't keep dodging; his sand was much faster than she was. She began to run towards him, and the sand shot out, cutting her. Three deep cuts appeared on her physical body; one light one on her cheek, one on her left arm, and one on her right leg.

She quickly embraced Gaara, and he disappeared.

"What?!"

The voice chuckled. It was a nightmare, not a dream. It wasn't meant to have a happy ending, and it would prevent her from giving it a happy end for as long as possible. The floor became a dark hole, and she began to sink. The darkness reached above her head, to the point of drowning her... and she fell.

The darkness was everywhere, and impossible to counter. It suffocated her... and then, she saw Gaara, floating in the void.

"Alone... so alone... so damn... alone..." He muttered, over and over. Tears freely fell, shocking Rena. She'd never seen Gaara cry before. It triggered her own reaction, and she felt an immense, sincere pain in her heart. She wanted to protect him from the ways of the world. The unbearable cruelty had been something they both had suffered, but in different ways.

She gently reached for him, taking hold of his hand, and he gasped. His head swiveled around... and Rena realized he had no pupils. Gaara was blind. She gently pulled him towards her. "Gaara...?"

"Who's there?! Who's trying to erase my existence?! I won't allow it! I refuse to cease to exist!"

"Gaara, it's only me. You're not going to cease to exist, not anytime soon."

This seemed to calm him down slightly, but he was still on guard.

"Why are you here...? I've never...you've never appeared in my nightmares!" Gaara was filled with surprise, but it-

Rena jerked awake, drenched in sweat. What had happened? Why did she wake up?

Meanwhile, Naruto had punched Gaara, waking him from his sleep. An extremely angry Gaara stopped him from approaching any further, willing the sand to wrap around Naruto's feet.

Rena was gasping for air; she had, at the most, a minute left.

"Sand Coffin!" Gaara's scream was heard.

**So you didn't die. It's quite unfortunate, but nobody can help you here. You're going to die anyways.**

Rena winced, her purple blood mixing with the sand of the Shukaku. She applied pressure to the worst wound, the one on her leg. She needed to stop the bleeding and remain calm; talking in this situation wouldn't help her, and would only waste air.

The toad's tongue surrounded Naruto, protecting him from the sand coffin.

"You think I'm a fool?!" Gaara roared, and begun to attack from below. He seemed to be getting angrier and angrier. "I'll wipe you from the face of the earth! I will not cease to exist!"

It was the final showdown. With this, there was no doubt that they were both pretty much done for chakra. This battle would come down to physical strength, and physical strength alone.

**I can save you. Just let me try... allow me to give you my strength.**

The smell of decay filled her entire being; it triggered a swirling feeling inside her. To leave the Shukaku might hurt Gaara at the moment.

"No!" Rena pushed back the flow of chakra, refusing to allow it to envelop her. Gaara needed her as she was, not smelling like a rotting body!

**It seems like it was wrong of me to approach you in your current state. My presence is not yet welcome in your system... until you give in to me, I cannot... Very well. If we must do this the hard way, then so be it.**

Rena's body was once more not her own; it was harder to resist now. She was weak, and the sand was draining her chakra fast. She was on the brink of death, so it made sense that her body would be easily controlled. Whatever was controlling her made a handsign.

"Forbidden Art of the Hikari Clan: Mind Wipe Jutsu!"

The voice began to wipe her memories of anything pertaining to it. It wouldn't remove her memory of this battle, but it would have to destroy the one of the nightmare she had joined in. She was not ready to accept her fate, nor ready to accept him. That would change, in time. She needed power, and she needed it sorely... power was something he had.

Her eyes flashed, and she sat up, coughing. Damn, she had been in the Shukaku forever...! How long had passed since...?!

"I've had it with you!" Rena stared upwards, from where the voices were coming. This fight had to be coming to an end, then. Just as she thought that, Naruto slammed his head into Gaara's.

Blood slowly flowed down his face.

Rena felt the sand underneath her began to crack. She had little to no chakra... and she was wounded? The sand began to fall away, and she began to fall too. She needed to land on her feet... and in general, without dying.

The toad disappeared, and only the blade remained. Gaara and Naruto were thrust to opposite sides. Rena grabbed onto a tree, sliding down it and wincing. However, Gaara was in danger...!

She dashed towards him, and he consumed her mind. She needed to save him, to help him...! He may be more powerful, but in the end, he couldn't guard himself if he had no chakra! Even if it killed her, she had to save him... because she loved him!

Man or monster, it no longer mattered.

The sword disappeared, and Gaara and Naruto aimed for one another, fists poised to strike. It was impossible! She doubted that Gaara had ever thrown a punch in his life. Would he be able to summon the strength to do so?

Gaara couldn't hack it, and Naruto punched him before Gaara could do anything else. They fell to the ground, both injured and losing chakra.

No, he was falling! Rena wouldn't be able to catch him in time, what with her injuries and chakra being what they were. She finally reached the meadow, as Gaara hit the floor. She skidded to a stop, however. The Uzumaki kid might be.... Knocked out. She couldn't move, her chakra completely depleted from the burst of strength she had used to get to Gaara. She couldn't protect him, even if she wanted to. Damn... if only she was stronger!

She fell to the ground, just barely stopping herself.

Now, Temari had finally found Kankuro; they needed to get away from the Hidden Leaf, but they couldn't just abandon Gaara and Rena.

Rena watched as Blondie crawled towards Gaara using only his chin. This kid was insane...! He clearly had nothing left, but still... "No, stay away!" Gaara cried, from fear. Rena wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but she couldn't move.

"It's almost unbearable, isn't it?" The Blondie stopped moving, to speak to Gaara. "The feeling of being all alone?" Gaara's eyes widened, and in the fear, there was confusion. "I know that feeling. I've been there, in that dark and lonely place. But now, there are...others. Other people who mean a lot to me." He resumed inching forwards, presumably using all of his possible strength. "I care more about them then I do myself, and I won't let anyone hurt them!" His eyes were resolute, full of a clarity that Gaara didn't have. "That's why I won't ever give up...! I will stop you, even if I have to kill you!"

"But why...?" Gaara whispered. "Why would you do this for anyone but yourself?"

"Because they saved me from myself," He responded, his eyes glazed over. He was strong. Were the bonds tying him to others what made him strong? "They rescued me from my loneliness! They were the first to accept me for who I am. They're my friends!"

**~ Flashback ~**

"Ouch! Why'd you push me, Bozui?" Rena asked a child who she had asked to play with.

"Cuz you're friends with that freak, Gaara! He's a monster, he's scary! Are you a freak too? Why do you think we'd let you play with us?" Bozui grinned.

Rena began to cry.

"Hey, you. I suggest you stop." Sand swirled around Rena, as if to protect her. "Or I'll get really scary!"

"...I...it's really Gaara...run!" Bozui screamed, and the kids scattered in terror.

"G...Gaara!" Rena cried.

"Rena, I'm sorry. They were only bullying you because-" Rena wrapped her arms around him, embracing him.

"Gaara! It's my Gaara!" Rena said, laughing. "I missed you. I thought you'd never come out to see me. I've been waiting for hours!"

"You've been sitting here, waiting for me?" She was acting as if it had never happened.

"Of course, Gaara. I love you, so I can wait any amount of time!"

**~ End ~**

Gaara turned his face towards the sun, his expression changing to one Rena had never seen on a human being. "Love... is that the thing that makes him so strong?"

"Naruto, that's enough." Sasuke was there in a flash, and Rena summoned all of her strength, running into the clearing and tripping over her own feet. "Look, Sakura is gonna be all right. The sand crumbled away, and she's free. This guy's chakra is all used up."

"That's... a relief." Naruto fainted, right then and there. Kankuro and Temari appeared in front of Gaara, in defense.

"That's enough." The one person nobody expected to say it was now calling off an attack; Gaara was done. He didn't want to fight anymore, despite the almost impossible notion. "It's over."

"But, Gaara..." Kankuro said. He then saw both Rena and Gaara's condition; they really did need to pull back. "Alright, Gaara."

Kankuro picked up Gaara, supporting him. Temari helped Rena, because it was unlikely Rena could stand on her own.

"Temari, Kankuro..."

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Both Temari and Kankuro had expressions of surprise. Gaara's head turned to Rena, who was being carried by them.

"Rena...?"

She couldn't speak, but she looked up, giving a small groan.

"I love you."

Her eyes widened, and her heart nearly stopped. She had never expected Gaara to say it, in a million years. She summoned whatever strength she had left, using it to speak her mind. "I love you too, Gaara." A small smile crossed both of their faces.

As Gaara watched the leaves blow in the wind, and felt the warm summer breeze in his hair, he felt as if his time in the Hidden Leaf had changed him somehow. What he had become in an entire lifetime simply washed away in a single battle. Things would get better, with time. He had Temari and Kankuro.

And he had Rena.

 **~ Meanwhile, in Rena's head. ~**  
_I really, really feel like I'm forgetting something._

_What could I possibly be forgetting? I mean, I only packed a little bit of clothing, so it's not like I left something behind in the Hidden Leaf._

_What could I possibly be-?_

_Oh, shit._

She was forgetting Sansa and her entire team.

**1 Week Later**

**The Village Hidden in the Sand**

"Rena, get back here, you little shit!" Sansa screamed. Gaara simply watched as Sansa and Rena trained; it was more of a wild goose-chase now, though. He had finished his own training for the day, and was more than happy to watch this absolutely hilarious exchange.

"I wouldn't touch you with a two foot pole with those things on you!" Rena yelled back, dodging an arsenal of weapons.

"You summoned these leeches and now you're gonna get them off me!"

Gaara chuckled, the breeze in the desert blowing through his hair. Ever since he got back and his wounds were treated, he felt better than ever before. Unfortunately, the Kazekage was murdered by Orochimaru; an act of betrayal that Rena had certainly guessed correctly. The funeral was tomorrow, and Gaara was having doubts about going. Kankuro insisted that he came.

"That fuckin' brat, I swear!" Sansa began peeling the leeches off her skin.

"Gaara!" Rena waved, finally noticing that he was there. She ran to him, and he stood from the spot he had been relaxing in. She attempted to touch him, but he recoiled. "You're still not well...?"

"I'm sorry. When I thought of the times I hurt you, and the times I'd almost killed you, I'm afraid to touch you." Gaara was honest, but hesitant. That made Rena happy.

"It's okay! You won't hurt me again, I promise." Rena gave him a big smile.

Rena was always hopeless. "It's supposed to be me promising that, you know." Gaara sighed. Without him there, how would she possibly get through the day without accidentally killing herself?

A boy Rena's age approached them cautiously. "Yo, Rena...and G-Gaara. Anyways, Rena, come on. We're all going to the new ramen place in town, you wanna come?" One of Rena's new friends asked. She had made quite a few while working with Sansa; Sansa had many students who wanted to learn Ninjutsu, but there wasn't a school for those without affinity or skill. The friend who asked her was named Daisuke.

"Coming, Daisuke! Come on, Gaara!" Rena grabbed Gaara's hand, and Daisuke looked absolutely terrified.

"I'll stay behind. I'm not hungry." Daisuke looked relieved.

"To each his own, I guess." She ran to the group, and they surrounded her.

"Why didn't you go?" A de-leeched Sansa leaned against the wall.

"You know why." Gaara muttered, crossing his arms.

"You going out to eat lunch with Rena won't kill them. Sure, they'll be terrified, but they'll get over it once they see how Rena treats you. Besides, you're not all blood-lusty anymore, right? So, if you want the Village to see you as normal and not the murder-machine you were pointed out to be, then you should probably go."

Gaara gave Sansa an annoyed glare. That was still a sensitive topic for him. He didn't want to forget, but he just didn't want to remember right now. Sansa was the opposite of sensitive, though. In absolute silence, he walked away from here.

"I bet you 40$ you're gonna go!" She called after him, laughing. "I'm not gonna get that 40$." She muttered to herself, heading home for the day.

**Suna Ramen Shop**

**6:00PM [The sun in the desert starts to set at 8:00, and it gets dark at 9:00.]**

The 6 people who invited Rena, including Daisuke, were all squeezed in as far away from Gaara as they could. They watched as Rena began to make her western-styled tea, though. Gaara was just as curious as them.

First, Rena dropped in the teabag, then the hot water. She removed the teabag, then poured four giant teaspoons of sugar into the cup. The observers stared in awe as she took a sip, and then offered it to Gaara. "Want some?"

"I don't have a sweet tooth." To her, he looked embarrassed and shy, attempting to say what he needed to with as little words as possible. To them, he looked really pissed off and about to kill her.

"Oh, I wasn't asking. I was telling you you wanted some!" Rena said, cheerfully. Everyone gasped, expecting fury from Gaara.

"Fine." Gaara took the tea, and took a sip. He took another, finding that he enjoyed it. Rena stole a sip, and everyone froze, as if his saliva was poison.

"I didn't say you could steal a sip from my cup."

"But... it's mine."

"Not any longer." Gaara held the tea away from her, and Rena reached over him, putting her hand in between his legs to get further stretch. He spread them, embarrassed. What the hell was she doing? She was so damn close. And her scent was amazing; she smelled like a desert flower.

She gave up, sitting back down in the booth. Gaara exhaled in relief. Temari had given him lessons when she asked him about the fever; and really, what had been happening to him was perverse. It was even more awkward when Kankuro got in on the conversation, but they explained it all to him. It needed to happen. It was inevitable; he was, after all, almost 14 years old. The talk took all night.

**[There's gonna be lemon sorrynotsorry.]**

Kankuro then admitted his feelings about Rena, and Temari almost punched him in the face. That was the very first time Gaara had laughed, and it was a long laugh that made his insides hurt.

**~ Flashback. ~**

"Oh, oh god, what's happening to me!? Hahahahahahahahahahaha!" Gaara rolled around on the floor, tears rolling out of his eyes. "I don't understand! Ahahahahahah! It hurts so much but it feels so good!"

**~ Flashback end. ~**

Still, that meant that Kankuro would be his 'rival'. He didn't understand that; there were rivals in things other than battle? He assumed that you could only have a rival in strength, but he was wrong.

"Daisuke, I want the vegetable pork ramen with celery. What are you getting?" Rena gave one of those charming little smiles of her, and Daisuke gulped. Gaara gave a death glare, but in reality, he was trying to seem friendly.

It was not working.

"I'll get the beef ramen." He kept his eyes on Gaara.

"And what about you, Gaara?" Rena asked, secretly putting her hand in hers. She intertwined her fingers in his, and he held her hand tightly. He was scared, nervous.

"I'll take the Suna Special." He said, giving a small, unintelligible smile.

"That's super spicy, Gaara." The smile disappeared, and was replaced with an emotionless look. "It's your funeral." He almost winced, but he knew she didn't mean anything by it. He only squeezed tighter, not wanting to let go.

Everyone relaxed as they realized Gaara wasn't paying attention to them, but Daisuke cleared his throat.

"So, Gaara, what brings you here?" Daisuke asked, nervously.

"I was hungry." Gaara's voice was low; it was scary to those who he was a stranger to.

"Oh... So, you and Rena... well, you've always been alone, so when did you make friends with her?" Daisuke was blunt and to the point.

"We were six years old. She was crying in an alleyway; it was 11:00 at night. She was crying for her mother, and she was alone. She had scraped her knee, and it looked like it wouldn't stop bleeding..." Gaara couldn't remember. Was her blood purple then? He hadn't been paying attention, as her crying was what he was seeing most of. He searched his mind; after seeing her blood once, he had never seen it again. Sansa seemed to always be there when Rena was hurt in some way. "I took her back to my home, and helped her take care of the bleeding. She then returned the next day, and ended up visiting every day after."

He had never seen blood before that. The sand had always protected him. It was what had caused him to ask his... uncle... what pain felt like. When he saw Rena crying, he wondered if it 'hurt' that badly.

Rena stared at him as if he was insane. He was completely emotionless! That was one of his happiest memories!

"Woah, that's a cool story. Tell me more!" Daisuke said. Gaara continued to tell them of the stories that happened when Rena and Gaara were children, and they were soon hanging onto his every word. They were all laughing.

"What did you do when Rena decided to go and enter the men's bathroom with you?" One of the girls, Enma, asked.

"Well, I told her no, but she began to cry. After a while, I hugged her and she stopped."

**~ Flashback ~**

"But Gaara! You can't leave me out here!"

"Rena, you can't come with me! It's the men's bathroom. It would be weird!"

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaara!"

Gaara embraced the six-year-old Rena, tightly. "I promise I'll come back out fast, okay? I'd never leave you alone for a long time."

**~ Flashback End ~**

"Wow..." Daisuke, Enma and the rest of the group looked shocked.

"What's wrong?" Gaara asked.

"No offence, but this is the first time we've actually seen you smile. I mean, you always looked like you were about to kill someone."

"I actually have to get Rena home. I'm sorry." Gaara stood up, exiting the shop abruptly.

"That's a touchy subject for Gaara." She said when he had left the building. He was most likely waiting outside for her. "Look, he's trying really hard. I know he seems scary, but with a little bit of time, you'll get used to it! I promise!" Rena bowed.

"I guess I understand." Rena was happy. Her chest was bursting with happiness; Gaara finally had new friends. "I wouldn't want him killing me, after all."

"That's not funny." Rena hissed, clenching her fists.

"Woah, lighten up, Rena. As far as I can tell, you follow him around like a stray dog." Enma said. When she got no reaction, she tried something else. "Maybe the big bad Gaara is just as much of a stray as you; nothing more than a child on the inside." Enma threw her head back and laughed. As if on cue, the entire group laughed with her.

"Stop it..." Her fists clenched tighter, until her nails pierced her palms and purple blood dripped from them.

"Gaara is a freak, and that's what he'll always be." Enma laughed.

And then, Rena snapped, nailing Enma in the face. Gaara was waiting outside, unaware, until Enma flew out of the restaurant, breaking the door and slamming into another building. Gaara was surprised; were they under attack?

Rena came out of the restaurant, rage in her eyes. "Say that again, I dare you!" A crowd was gathering; curiosity, the deadliest poison of humanity. Her 5 peers came out of the shop, glaring daggers at her.

"Chill, she just made a joke." Daisuke's hands in his pockets.

"A... joke? Ooooh, let me tell you one! Come on, it's my turn!" Rena gave a happy smile and twirled around. Then, her face turned scary, a glare beyond any they could muster. "It's so funny, you might just split open from hearing it."

"Come on, then. I haven't got all day." Daisuke let out an annoyed sigh.

"Judging by your body language with one another, Daisuke is the leader. Enma is Daisuke's girlfriend. Now, poor little Enma has been feeling a little guilty lately. Why is that, I super duper wonder? Enma has been cheating on Daisuke with Yasutoru, Daisuke's best friend. Yasotoru is with Ami, whom didn't know. Enma and Yasotoru cheat every second week on every Tuesday." Rena caught her breath. "And that's my really funny joke! It's courtesy of Sansa, who taught me how to read body language! Actually, it was because I walked past the alley they were doing it in. Multiple times. You guys have to schedule your shit better."

Daisuke turned to Enma, who was in tears. "Is this true?" Enma hesitated, which was a mistake. "I asked you if it was true, Enma!"

"It...is.." Enma hung her head in shame, sniffles and sobs.

"Only sorry because you were caught." Rena muttered.

"Ugh, Yasotoru, Enma, how could you do this to me?" Daisuke gave a pained glare to his best friend, and turned his rage on Rena. "And you! How could you call that a joke?! That's nowhere close to funny, it's..." Realization dawned on him. "Hurtful and devastating..."

Rena winked and smiled, giving a pose. "Exactly. You reap what you sow, you worthless pigs. Don't come near Gaara again. The next time, you'll deal with a lot more than just being victims of your own stupidity. The next time you make a 'joke' about him, you'll be 6 feet under." She twirled in a circle. "O~kay? I taught you a lesson this time, and that lesson was, 'don't fuck with the thing I love the most.' Next time, well, I don't give second chances. Fuck off, trash." Her smile turned into an ice-cold glare that chilled Daisuke's very soul. He and his friends ran for their lives, scrambling through the dirt.

"What happened? What kind of joke did he make?" Gaara asked, walking towards Rena. As soon as they saw him, the crowd bolted for safety.

"Oh, it was nothing, Gaara! This won't be good for our reputation, though. My bad!" Rena shrugged it off. She was doing it again, just like when they were kids, acting like nothing happened.

"Don't start pointless fights." He muttered, giving her a small glare. Nothing compared to the ones when he was an insane psychopath, though. He made sure of that.

"They aren't pointless, Gaara." Rena replied, annoyed.

"In your eyes, they aren't. In mine, they are." Gaara began to walk away.

"Hey, Gaara, wait up!" Rena ran to his side, bounce in her step.

"I don't need to wait if you're going to run..." Gaara sighs.

And yet, despite all of her flaws, Gaara still loved her, because that was what love was, wasn't it? He'd embrace her soon, and receive what was called a kiss. He wanted to make her happy, and as he was thinking of it, once more heat enveloped him.

**10:00 PM**

**The Day Before The Kazekage's Funeral**

**On Top of The Walls Surrounding the Hidden Sand**

**Three figures loomed over the Hidden Sand.**

"I heard the Sand Shinobi attacked the village of the leaf and got double-crossed by Orochimaru." The first figure purred, seductively feminine.

"I heard the Kazekage was killed by Orochimaru." The second figure said, her voice as squeaky as an 11 year old's.

"Then now, while they are weak, it is time to attack, my sisters." The third and final figure said. She was the loudest of them all, with the strongest voice. "The Sisters of Fire will certainly prevail against a couple of wounded ninja. I'm surprised that they aren't completely wiped out after what they pulled in the Land of Fire. Anyways, their forces are weak and some of them are critically injured. Mionna, you had a day to observe the sand. Status report."

"18 of the shinobi we meet here will be Jonin. Only two were not critically wounded, as far as I know. Sansa Hikari and Baki Hikari. I don't know the details, but they held their own against several Leaf Jonin. They should probably be avoided. I know that Baki has Earth-Style Jutsu. Sansa is tricky, because nobody has ever lived long enough to spread tales of what kind of Jutsu she has. 62% of the shinobi will be Genins, and 30% will be Chuunins."

"I'll handle the Genins. They will drop like flies at my feet with my fire-style Jutsu." The second eldest said, standing tall.

"Hinami, be calm. I will handle the Jonins, as I have water-style Jutsu."

Mionna sighed. "Why do I get the Chuunins? I mean, I'm not complaining, but they'll hold back if they see what I look like."

Hinami chuckled. "Anyone would hold back if they saw a little girl on the battlefield."

Hinami and Mionna turned to the eldest, sparkles in their eyes.

"Tsubaki, what now?" They said, in harmony.

"Take a life for every minute they were in the Leaf." The sisters disappeared, going separate ways.

**[Warning: Explicit, slightly lemon. You can skip it]**

**Gaara's Room**

Gaara blushed into his pillow, his hand sinking underneath the sheets; he was hard, and it wasn't going to go away. His hand slowly moved along the shaft, and he pumped, attempting to get the liquid out; why did Rena make him like this? They told him this might begin to happen, and even gave him items to prepare. He didn't realize something like this could feel so good; he might have done it sooner, had he known.

He bit into his pillow as he sped up, thinking of earlier, when her hand had nearly touched him, landing in between his legs. He could feel it coming; it was swelling inside. The smell of her hair, the feeling of her touching him in general...

A white, sticky substance shot from him, and he knew his hand was covered in it. His sheets would need to be washed, too. He inhaled into his pillow, and he realized that it smelled like her, from the first time she had slept over.

Even though it had gone soft, it instantly sprung up again; extra-sensitive since he had already came. Thinking of Rena doing this to him made him greedy; he was faster than before as he once more came in his hand. This was embarrassing and shameful, and as he dropped into his own cum, he knew he'd have to have a shower. How could he feel like this? How could he face Rena after what he'd just done?

How would he tell her?

He wouldn't be able to sleep after this.

**Sansa and Rena's House [Roof]**

Sansa sat outside, staring up at the night sky littered with specks of white. "Such a shame," She murmured to herself. "Poor Gaara. He never had a chance to prove himself to his father before his father died..." Sansa looked downwards, to the backyard of her two-story house. It was one of the bigger 'Sand huts' as outsiders called them. She liked the flat roofs.

Her job, as one of two leaders of the Sand Black Ops, was to take control when another leader died. She rarely had anything to do, so she began training young Shinobi. She was sent on A-level missions most of the time, too. She never had time for Rena or Baki, now that she was finally back. Sansa gave a long sigh.

"All I wanted was to spend some time with my family, and now, I'm busy again." She then rolled out of the way in one quick movement as a giant water tiger hit the ground, turning sand to mud and making a small hole in the roof that collapsed because of the weight. "Seriously, I was busy, just now." Sansa turned, frowning at the attacker. "It's rude to interrupt someone's thought process."

The figure on top of the building disappeared and reappeared in front of Sansa. Her build was more masculine and her red hair reached her shoulders. She wore glasses, and a ninja headband that was scratched out.

"A deserter, hm?" Sansa was unimpressed.

"I used to be a shinobi of the Oni Village. Now, I am Oni no longer. You have impressive reflexes, as I'd expect of the legendary Devil Tactician of the Sand."

"Eh, mine are so-so. But may I ask your name? Also, how are you? Would you like something to drink?" Sansa grinned up at the ninja, rubbing the back of her neck. She slid one of her hands into her pockets.

"My name is Tsubaki. I am here to kill you." Tsubaki had no fear in her voice.

"Damn, you're blunt! Not even asking me to have tea with you first? I'm blushing. Also, is that a no for the drink?" Only a hint of sarcasm was in Sansa's voice. She was serious about the drink, though. She then bit her finger, clapping her hands together. "Summoning Jutsu!" Her Fuma Shuriken appeared in her hand. "Unfortunately, you picked the wrong opponent for a friendly match, because you're not walking away from this in one piece. I'm still willing to put this on pause if you want that drink."

Sansa pushed off from the ground and Tsubaki rocketed forwards.

Sansa pulled back her arm, throwing the Fuma Shuriken. It ripped through the air, towards Tsubaki, who dodged it with ease. It came back to Sansa like a boomerang, and because of the weight, it pushed Sansa back as she caught it. Sansa rested it on her arm and made 4 handsigns. "Hellfire Jutsu!" A couple of nearby torches that lit the night exploded with fire, spitting out several fireballs at Tsubaki. Tsubaki wasted no time in making her own handsign.

"Water Style: Water Bullets!" Tsubaki began spitting fast moving torrents of water from her mouth. Each one hit their respective torch, dousing the fire in water.

Sansa backed up, getting some distance. Her enemy was smart, but she was smarter. She would use the terrain to her advantage, and lure her into a trap.

Tsubaki made another handsign. "Water Style: Geyser!" Water erupted from the ground, sending Sansa flying into the air. Sansa landed on the hard clay ground of the village painfully, winded. This wasn't going to be easy in the slightest, but hey, she couldn't just walk away.

**Sand Village Back Street – [Sandstorm Avenue]**

Rena walked along the path to her home, almost depressed. Gaara seemed in a hurry to get rid of her, even going so far as not to say goodbye. He had instantly ran to his room. She had stood up for him, punched a girl in the face, and then taught those idiot Genin a lesson. Rena thought that Gaara would be impressed, but it wasn't so. In fact, she got lectured by him. Sansa would probably lecture her too when she got home. Most children were in their homes by now, and most adults were on the main road. As such, there was nobody on Sandstorm Avenue other than Rena. So, of course, when she heard a sobbing noise, her first thought was to check it out.

"Hic... uwaaaaaah....sob, sob, hic.... Uuuu..." A child's soft crying voice lured Rena to a nearby alley.

"Hey, are you lost, or was someone bullying you?" Rena asked, touching the child's shoulder. She was slender, and had ginger hair. Rena could see from her angle that the child's bangs were longer than the back of her hair.

"No, that's not it..." The girl shook her head, continuing to cry.

"Then what is?"

"The fact that..." The little turned around, sticking a kunai in Rena's neck. "You weren't a dead body!" There was a puff of smoke, and the kunai was stuck in a log. "A substitution Jutsu... where are you?!" The little girl snarled.

"Look, if you wanna fool me, then you gotta do a lot better than that. You're also a horrible actor, and your hair is really ugly. I have a thing against gingers." Rena said, sitting on the roof of a house.

"Ugh, how dare you dodge that!? And my hair isn't ginger, its blonde!" The little girl screamed, stomping her foot.

"Too bad. I see ginger, I call it ginger. I see blonde, I call it blonde. And you, my friend, are ginger." Rena shrugged. "Should I call you gingie?"

"My name... is.... Mionna!" She screamed angrily, whipping three shuriken at Rena. Rena dodged them, the shuriken whipping past her head. An inch more and Mionna would have hit her.

"Temper, temper. Little Gingie can't take the heat?"

"I'll show you heat! Fire Style: Fire Explosion!" The entire building Rena was sitting on exploded, and Rena almost lost her balance as the building fell to the ground. She jumped to another roof.

"Damn, for a ginger, you sure pack a punch." Rena smirked. However, in reality, she was panicking. It was bad. She needed to get this destructive little annoying prick away from the living quarters of the village, stat. The best place to go would be the training field. "Hey, ginger! Let's play a game. Catch me if you can!" Rena disappeared.

"Stupid fucking eggplant-hair! I'm gonna catch you, alright!" Mionna followed her, falling for the taunt.

**Gaara's House [Roof]**

Gaara stared down at the Hidden Sand, on top of the roof of what had been his late father's home. He had taken a shower, and started the laundry himself. It was usually Temari's job, but he didn't want her doing it from now on. But, there were more pressing matters in his head than the mess he made; the funeral was tomorrow, but he still had his doubts about going. Everyone in the village would be there and they were all terrified of him.

Rena insisted on saying goodbyes to his father, who had looked out for her and Sansa multiple times. They had even had dinner together as Sansa had rose to the position of head Sand ANBU; but, more importantly, Sansa and the Kazekage had once had a romantic relationship.

His father had been a complete jerk, and it was a toxic relationship, one Sansa had to get out of. His father didn't love anyone anymore; he didn't think his father was capable of love. But he had witnessed a few unspeakable acts between them. When they had dumped one another, their relationship became strictly business, but he could tell his father thought of Sansa often when Gaara went through his stuff.

Gaara knew he should go for at least 5 minutes. Gaara ran a hand through his hair, frustrated at the multiple decisions he faced.

His sand rose to the challenge of protecting him from a kunai, and his eyes darted to the sand. An assassination attempt? No, the village elders wouldn't risk that, not with the Kazekage gone. It was an outsider to the Sand. "State your purpose."

"My name is Hinami, and I'm here to say, welcome to your funeral! Meet my fire!" The girl named Hinami had long reddish orange hair, all the way down to her waist. Her face looked rough, beaten on. She had a crooked nose, and she slammed her fists together. "I don't know how you're controlling that sand, but you won't have the upper hand for long. Fire Style: Fists of Flame!" Hinami's fists were consumed by fire, and she tore through the air. Her first punch connected with the sand, making a small dent in it. Gaara's eyes widened. Hinami proceeded to string punches together, breaking through his sand defenses and slugging Gaara in the face.

He hurtled to the ground below, and the sand broke his fall. The impact still affected him. He struggled to his feet, and then made a handsign. "Sand Coffin!" The sand rushed towards Hinami, who attempted to get away, but instead the sand wrapped around her foot. "Sand...burial!" Hinami's foot was crushed beyond repair.

"You dick!" Hinami screamed. "You crushed my foot! What did I ever do to you?!"

"You attacked me first."

"Only pricks hit women! What a jerk you are!"

"Are you correct in the mind?"

"Now you're asking if I'm insane?! God, girls must hate you!"

"Actually, I have a girlfriend."

"... then she's probably fucked in the head more than I am."

"You should correct yourself, now." His death glare was coming back; he rose into the air, his sand allowing him to stay airborne.

"Excuse me? I have nothing to apologize for. I'm a woman, and women don't need to apologize for being women. You're going to call me a feminist, aren't you? Are you gay? I don't have to answer to you!"

Gaara's sand shot over to Hinami, and crushed her. Blood dripped from his sand, and Hinami's corpse would never be seen again, thankfully.

An explosion rocked the Sand and he noticed two figures racing away in the night. He felt Rena's chakra with his own, and he disappeared, heading in that direction.

**Training Field**

Rena dodged another shuriken. Mionna had succeeded in hitting Rena with a kunai while they were playing tag; she held her arm. The cut was pretty bad. Also, somehow, Mionna had gotten hold of her shirt and accidentally tore it.

"Come on. You talk so big but you have so little to show for it. Hell, you haven't even attacked me yet! Intimidated by a little girl?" Mionna taunted.

"Little girls don't dress like whores." Rena responded blatantly.

"Stop making fun of me!" Mionna screamed, stamping her foot on the ground. It seemed like she was having a tempertantrum. "I don't want you to!" Rena took this chance, and whipped a shuriken at Mionna, which lodged itself in her back.

A scream erupted from Mionna's throat, as if she was dying. "Mommy, it hurts! Mommy, help me! Sissy! Aaaaagh! Waaaaaaaaah!" Mionna began to scream at the top of her lungs, until a kunai went through her throat. Rena thanked the gods.

"It seems these ninja are inexperienced." Gaara said, brandishing another shuriken.

"Yeah, this kid couldn't even take a hit. In the end, she was the one who was running her mouth. Anyways, tomato, tomatoe. I still say she's a ginger."

"I think she's a mix of blonde and ginger."

"Either way, she was a Gingie who acted like an empty blonde. She was also wearing a revealing outfit, despite the fact she had nothing to show." Rena sighed, turning around, and Gaara covered his eyes. The fever began again. Her chest was showing, and her shirt was in shreds.

"Rena...!"

"Oh...Oh!" Rena let out a shriek, and covered her chest.

"Here," Gaara removed his sash and his gourd, taking off his shirt. Rena turned a deep red. He had muscles for days.

He handed it to her, and she removed her own shirt, putting it on.

He put his sash back on, along with his gourd. It was weird to be shirtless, especially outside. He certainly wasn't used to it.

"Anyways, Sansa probably needs our help."

**Wherever Sansa Is**

Tsubaki looked up at the sky, inhaling and exhaling. "My sisters have fallen. The 'Feminist' and the 'whore.' I knew they would croak; they had a habit of speaking before they thought, and we all despised one another."

"Then why come here with them?" Sansa asked, panting. She was nearly out of chakra.

"They made good distractions. Also, it helped me achieve my goal of trying to take over the Hidden Sand. They deserved it. Not my problem, now that they're dead and gone."

"Hmm." Sansa wiped some blood from her mouth with her finger, doing multiple handsign. Once she was done, she slammed her hand to the ground. "Your fight ends here. Summoning Jutsu!" A beast shot forth from the smoke. Its emerald green eyes looked back to Sansa, and it closed its eyes, disappearing. It reappeared above Tsubaki, then slammed downwards, pinning her to the ground.

"How can a beast be so fast?" Tsubaki struggled under the weight of the beast.

"Because it's a legendary beast that doesn't come from around these parts." At the snap of Sansa's fingers, the beast ripped apart Tsubaki with its large fangs. After it was done, it disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Sansa straightened her back; she was mildly injured.

"Sansa!" Rena called out, sliding across the ground. She saw the mangled corpse. "Wow, what happened here?"

"She died. There are no more attackers." Sansa stated the obvious. Gaara finally caught up to Rena.

"You're insanely fast!" Gaara exclaimed, panting. This was the fastest he had seen her.

"When someone I care about is in danger, my body doesn't slack off."

"Hey, careful now, you little shit. You're getting sappy."

**The Kazekage's Funeral**

Everyone would respect the Kazekage by placing a single rose in his coffin each; there was no sign of Gaara and Rena began to get extremely worried. Was he really going to miss his father's funeral? Sure, even if nobody wanted him here except for her... he was still his father!

As gasps left the crowd, she'd turn to see Gaara wearing nothing but black, walking down the long, open path between the crowd with a rose in hand and she almost smiled before remembering it was the funeral of the Kazekage and nobody would really like that.

Gaara knelt at his father's coffin and placed the rose over his father's heart before standing and turning to the crowd. "I vow that I will become Kazekage." Mouths might have dropped that day, but Rena, above all was shocked. The fact he'd state it so boldly!

She stole a glance at the Elders who looked sickly pale.

He began to walk down the path out of the area, not even sparing a glance around, his eyes focused on the path ahead rather than the distractions behind him. Sansa rose her head; she knew the boy was on his own path to glory. This show was not simply something to spite the people of Suna, but an action of mercy, a vow of protection. Something that would help him become stronger.

There wasn't a single word spoken after Gaara's vow.


	5. Rena's First Mission!

Rena walked into the Kazekage's main building; she entered the meeting room, where the Elders had set up their Council Room. Eight Elders stared at her as she entered, judging her silently. It made her feel uncomfortable; she wondered why she had been called there, why they needed her. Rena bowed, showing respect towards them; it was in her best... no, Gaara's best interests if she was on their good sides. "Honorable Elders, I have received your summons. Please, tell me what's wrong."

Although her face didn't show it, Rena's insides were numb. Was it about Gaara? Was Gaara hurt, or worse? He had been sent off on one of the more dangerous missions the Hidden Sand could deploy; Rena didn't know if she could handle this. However, a proper kunoichi remained calm, and she stayed true to Sansa's teachings. She could do this.

The third Elder raised his withered hand and began to speak. "We are sending you on a delivery mission. We would have sent Cheshire, as he's a support-type, however, that is not an option as he is currently protecting the border with Marionetta and Baki." The Hidden Sand had no ninja to spare; they began to send teams of two with one Jonin. It didn't matter what your rank was, at this point, the Sand was desperate for order and was falling apart at the seams.

"Aren't we having issues with our alliances because of what happened in the Leaf?" Rena's eyes narrowed. How could they have missions with such a bad reputation?

"You are partially correct. All of our alliances outside of the Land of the Wind have been severed due to fear. Our trade routes have been destroyed, leaving us with no food. To live, Sunagakure will have to grow their own crops until the trade route can be re-established." The third Elder had responded to her, but Rena felt as if this was only a mercy he was giving her. They wouldn't be going around telling everyone this information, would they? It would cause mass panic.

"What makes you think they'll re-establish their trade routes with traitors? Surely you can't be so blind as to expect them to come crawling back to you." It was common sense; if they couldn't see that, then they needed a new Kazekage and stat. Crops grown wouldn't be enough to feed the entire village, and the drought was coming.

"You've forgotten that most of the herbs required for medicine and healing lie in the desert, not the mountains, tundra, marsh or forest. If they want the supplies to make food pills and their other medicinal luxuries, then trade must be re-established. Without medicine, shinobi will die." It sounded like a brilliant plan, but the title of Kage was a heavy burden that came with a large amount of pride. No Kage would bend over backwards for another village that was not their own. "Now, back to the matters at hand. The package is to be delivered to Lapis Village, on the outskirts of the Land of Wind's border. You will be taking two other shinobi with you on this mission, and they have already been chosen. Kagura Ashia, and Sansa Hikari."

"Who the hell is Kagura?" Rena had dropped her polite tone without realizing it. She'd regret it later, for sure.

"So this is the pathetic backup I've been promised?" A figure stepped out from the shadows, fanning himself with an ornate traditional fan. As he did his hair swayed ever so slightly in the desert breeze. It was black and down to his waist. His lilac eyes looked up and down her figure, judging her. "This is that girl who hangs out with the monster."

"You spoiled, arrogant little brat. You'd better take that back." Rena growled, picking Kagura up by his collar.

"Rena, expect punishment when you return to the Hidden Sand. You'll be cleaning the streets of the village for a while." The third Elder began to lazily stir his coffee, his words slurring.

"What the hell did I do this time, old man?!" Rena had dropped every last bit of politeness in her system; she was done with everyone in this room and their judgmental eyes.

"If I am correct, and I know I am because we have been counting, this is the 37th fight you've caused this week. That is what you've done this time, as well. I see a pattern." The Elder sighed, his fingers tapping against the wood of the desk.

"You can't do this! I have better things to do than clean garbage." Rena hissed.

"So you're telling me that you'd rather repay your 1,000,000 yen fee (8,800$) on damages caused to the village? I have your file right here. Let's see, property damage, hospital bills for the people you've hospitalized, unauthorized explosives and destruction of monuments." The Elder's voice was matter-of-factly and smooth and Rena's lips quickly sealed shut. Had she really caused so much damage?

"Fine. Let's go, Kagura. The sooner I finish this mission, the sooner I can lose your ugly face in the crowd." Rena hit low, attempting to injure his pride.

"Pft, I am the very definition of beauty. The Ashia Clan thrives off beauty; so much so that they have developed a beautiful Kekkai Genkai. Reflection, it is called. It allows me to reflect any attack back on the attacker, no matter how beautiful. We, of course, pay our price, but this is much later in life. 23 is my estimated time of death, and it's not bad, now, is it? Considering the death rate of my clan, at least...We also have... Hey, are you listening to me?" Kagura gave Rena a glare, but she was busy in her own thoughts. "It is supposed to be one of the greatest honors when one of the Ashia Clan speaks to a commoner." Rena's thoughts strayed back to Gaara; he had been given a mission to capture or kill a deserter of the Hidden Sand.

"I'm not listening to you preen your own feathers because I'm worried about someone else." Rena met Kagura's glare with a fierce glare of her own. They continued to walk through the Sand, as Rena realized that Kagura had been talking the entire time.

"Are you in love?" Kagura asked, his tone changing to something lighter.

"Yes." Rena reluctantly responded; Kagura was one of the stranger ones.

"To be honest, I've thought about love for a while now. However, The Ashia Clan is bred for beauty, not love. Father has enforced the rules; no love. When the time comes, he shall find me a beautiful bride that shall bear me 3 children at the age of 16. Father will teach her the ways and customs of the Ashia Clan, even after I die at 23 years of age. Who are you in love with? What does it feel like?" His expression was filled with sorrow, and his voice, loneliness. Rena couldn't imagine what it was like to not be able to choose the person you loved. If she couldn't be with Gaara, and Sansa had set up an arranged marriage for her, then she might have died from heartbreak. From what Kagura had told her so far, it seemed like his mother had been the last Ashia, and his father had been married to her because of his looks.

"I've been through a lot with the person I love. The boy who you called a 'monster'... despite everything, our hearts still remain connected." She grasped her chest, where her heart was. It was beating painfully; just the thought of Gaara being taken away from her by someone else hurt.

"How do you feel about him?"

How did she feel? This was a difficult question. It was hard to put it into words. "If the sun and moon were to shatter to pieces, I wouldn't care as long as Gaara and I could remain side by side. Just seeing him alive, well, and smiling is enough to fill me to the brim with joy every day; if the world was ever ending, even if it was tomorrow, I'd spend my last day with Gaara sooner than my heart could beat." Rena gave voice to how she felt about Gaara, and it felt like a weight off her chest. Ever since she and Gaara had returned to the Hidden Sand, he was reluctant to kiss her, hold her, or tell her he loved her. He knew he had caused a lot of damage in the past, and during the Chuunin exams, when he almost killed her several times. She knew he thought he didn't deserve her, and it was making him distant. She didn't know how to break through his shield, and not the one made of sand.

"I would give anything to have love, if it's truly as you say. But, my clan does not believe in it."

"But there's a bad side to love, too."

"What do you mean? There couldn't possibly be a bad side to such a feeling."

"There are several. Jealousy, contempt, loneliness... You want to understand your partner, but they move away from you. Whenever you try to connect a bridge, even though you've made progress, they just end up burning them all. You want to know about them; love is a dance between two people, not a solo act. If they close themselves to you, there's not much you can do about it until they choose otherwise." Yes, this was a problem Gaara had; he was more focused on himself, still. Admittedly, he had started to think of other people, but in the end he was so used to being alone and ignoring teamwork that he had shut himself off from others. Making a relationship with Gaara was extremely difficult.

They had finally made it to the gates of the Sand Village; or, rather, walls.

"If we go fast, we should get there in less than six hours and still be able to return to the Hidden Sand before dark." She signaled them forwards, and they began to walk through the desert; since it was a delivery, it was assumed that they'd be able to get there without having to run.

Rena pulled Kagura back, out of Sansa's earshot. She was extremely sensitive on the topic of Clans for some reason; she had hardcore morals concerning them, and what Rena was about to say next went against all of Sansa's beliefs. "Clan tradition isn't always right, you know. If you're going to die young, you should defy your father and your clan and marry for love."

Rena's eyes widened. She remembered. The scythe had triggered something, something inside her that was a burning, brutal flame. She remembered one thing, one thing that changed the entire game; she remembered her Clan.

She glanced at Sansa, but kept her voice low. She didn't remember everything, and there was a dark shadow across her mind that she couldn't place, but she knew it would be best not to alert Sansa. "I came from... a certain clan. Their tradition was to kill everyone you love and cherish. They weren't allowed to be attached to physical possessions, either."

"That... sounds terrible. I've never heard of a clan like that... but, you speak in past tense..."

"My clan was destroyed. At least, the pure branch. They married into the wrong family, and twelve years later, it came back to bite them. Later, however, the other clan also ended..." The memories were simply of the clan and the history; and also, of the legendary shinobi that was rented out as a sort of mercenary for large amounts of money during a war. Her mind had become like a library; she understood why she was remembering; she could feel the seal waning. The scythe, the one she had in her possession, was called the Organ Reaper. It was a priceless artifact and heirloom of her clan.

Slipping into the past, she remembered.

**~**

There was a dark shadow, sitting on a throne in a comfortable position. The glare on her face was burned into Rena's mind; her eyes alone showed that she required submission, absolute and total domination.

A girl trembled before her, crying. She wore rags; she was smeared in blood. She was on her hands and knees, in the position of a beggar. "Please, Lady Elliel... spare me...!" She cried, her nails raking across the carpet.

"You think you have a right to beg for your life, child? My dearest daughter murdered your entire clan..." Rena felt this shadow's fingers brush across her face, but they were sharp, like the claws of a monster. "And you are the spoils of war. You had one simple task; I ordered you to cook me a dish, and you failed. You had burnt one of the ingredients, and they are quite expensive, you know. Rena, kill her."

"Please, Lady Rena! Spare me....!" She groveled more, going down lower, if that was possible. "Your Highness, please, give me a second chance!"

"I don't give second chances. Rena, what are you waiting for? I gave you an order." The shadow yawned, resting her head on her hand lazily. Rena took a few steps towards the girl; she couldn't control herself. She couldn't stop herself, and it was as if her body was not her own. Rena raised the scythe above her head, and in the reflection of the polished blade, she saw her own face, blank and emotionless. Obeying this shadow seemed to be her entire existence, her purpose. The servant's eyes widened in terror, and a scream could be heard echoing through the halls of the mansion. Blood splattered across the floor, and a figure interrupted the shadow's entertainment, stepping inside the room.

"Just as brutal as the legends said. The Queen of Blood in the same room as I... what an honor it is."

The man had eyes of red; the Sharingan stared at the shadow.

"Now this is quite interesting. The head of the Uchiha Clan, tracking me down and slipping past all of our defenses? What could you possibly require, sir?" The shadow smiled, a sickening grin.

"Your beauty is exactly as they told me it would be; your temper, as well."

"So bold, Uchiha. I like that you don't seem to fear me. It's interesting. However, I haven't quite caught your name."

"Tajima Uchiha, the Head of the Uchiha Clan, and I have come here to gain the Kekkai Genkai of the Hikari, Blood Style Release." Tajima sat on the floor, ignoring the blood. In times of war, an alliance with the Queen of Blood was rare, yet valuable.

"What an interesting man you are, Tajima." The shadow stepped off her throne, and her kimono dragged behind her. For the life of her, Rena could not remember this person's face or body. She could barely remember that it was her mother.

"I find you much more interesting. Your daughter's name means peace, despite all of the blood she sheds. Your apprentice's name means saint, despite the fact she's anything but one. And you, your name means God." He kept a straight face, directly challenging the woman he claimed to be beautiful.

"You've done your research, I see. And how do you intend on getting my Kekkai Genkai?" She grabbed his hand, slowly moving it up the curves of her body. He stood as his hand rose further due to her grasp; she allowed his hand in a position where it would be easy to choke her, and dragged it upwards, to her lips, then her eye. "By ripping my eye out, as someone can do to you? Would you do it with your bare hands?"

"No," Tajima whispered, entranced by her. "That wouldn't give me the effect I want. Even if I had it, it would not be passed down through my bloodline. I am asking you to marry me and bear my children. Marry into the Uchiha family, and I shall give you something desirable; the Sharingan."

"I accept, of course. You are more interesting than any that has come before; I want to see the kind of world you shape with your hands, using my Blood Release Style..." Her grin filled Rena's mind, and broke her out of her thoughts. The sheer terror that Rena felt was enough for the memory to stop there.

**~**

 

Rena's process of thought came to a slow when she bumped into a man with a familiar green jumpsuit. Where she had seen it, however, was almost impossible to remember. It seemed like she had a lot of memory issues nowadays.

"Lee, look! It was that girl who was at the Chuunin Exams!" The idiotic voice filled her head, and she felt the need to recoil in disgust. Two figures ran to catch up with the two already there.

"Lee, we need to get you back to the hospital! Gai-Sensei, this is really reckless! You can't just go for a three-day walk, and beyond that, past the Sand Village's border!" A girl who had her hair in buns was gasping for air, and another girl with longer hair was beside her.

"As enthusiastic as you are, I couldn't imagine you doing something this stupid!" She exclaimed. Her voice was deep, a little too deep.

"Which girl, Gai-sensei? I see two ther-" Lee's eyes widened as he saw Kagura, his heart skipping a beat. He thought he'd only ever feel this way about Sakura, but true beauty had no limit! "I do not say this often, but I would like you to marry me! I may not know your name, but I will treat you like a queen!" With one hand on his crutch, he took Kagura's hand in his free one.

"...I...I..." Kagura began to stutter, melting into a blushing mess. Kagura didn't actually mind for once that a commoner was touching him.

"Please, fair lady, tell me your name!" Lee cried, his crutches falling to the ground. Tenten and Neji were at his side in an instant, holding him up.

"K-Kagura. I am Kagura, of the Ashia Clan..." Kagura murmured, his face bright red. He had changed his voice to a higher pitch, and it sounded more female than Rena's own! Sure, he looked like a female, but when push came to shove, how would he explain he was male when the topic came up between him and Lee?!

"Kagura of the Ashia Clan, you beauty knows no boundaries!" Lee yelled, at the top of his lungs. "Surely the power of youth has compelled us to meet!"

"Oh, my.." Kagura blushed an even deeper shade of red. She could tell he was beginning to fall for Lee; it wasn't the strangest thing she'd seen, but it was still awkward.

"Lee, I would never say this to you unless it was absolutely important, which it is. We have a package to pick up for that Elliel, remember? You need to remain focused on the mission, and disallow this buxom temptress from stealing your heart!" Sansa's eyes widened and she ripped the package from her back, her hands shaking. She opened it, and gave a yelp. The package dropped to her feet and out of the box rolled Gaara's head.

Rena screamed, and Sansa hugged her, covering her eyes. "Rena, it's an illusion. It's an illusion! I saw your head roll from the box, and it's impossible, because you're right here. Sssh, it's only an illusion." Rena's terrified sobs calmed, and Sansa removed her hands from Rena's eyes. Sansa had been correct; the severed head was now only a piece of drift-wood.

Sansa bent down, and examined it. Yes, Elliel's chakra was all over it. She had always been skilled in Genjutsu. Seeing a letter, Sansa picked it up.

Dearest daughter, if you're reading this, it means you're finally beginning to remember me. You should remember the clan, at first, but more importantly, you know I exist. The Queen of Blood has returned. Tell me, who is it that you love the most? Never mind, I'm sure I'll pay you a personal visit and find out on my own.

Sansa quickly shoved the letter in her pocket while Rena seemed to be in absolute distress; she had straightened up, and after exchanging a few words with the ninja of the Leaf, both parties went separate ways.

There was a tear-filled goodbye between Lee and Kagura, and promise of a return.

But who would return first, the bloodthirsty mother, or the charming young boy who caught the attention of someone who wasn't allowed to love?


	6. What?! Gai-Sensei Seeks a Cure in the Hidden Sand!

Rena walked through the Hidden Sand on a blistering hot desert day; she was passing by Suna Ramen, and she stopped to stare at the hole that Enma's face had made in the wall. It wasn't fixed yet, but the Suna Community Center Notice Board promised that soon they would put all of their attention into repairing the wall. Currently, however, they seemed more fixated on stopping the sand from going into mass panic, now that the Kazekage and his gold dust no longer protected them.

"It's YOOOOOOOOOOOOU!" A familiar voice bounced down the road to Rena's ears; it was coming from the main entrance of the Hidden Sand, which surprised Rena. After the Fire Sisters, nobody was allowed to enter or leave the village without permission from at least three elders. Suna shinobi were being plowed down as soon as they were coming. The man that was speeding towards Rena was also familiar; his hair was in a weird bowl-cut and he wore a green jumpsuit, while his ninja headband around his waist clearly stated he was from the Hidden Leaf. But what was a Hidden Leaf Shinobi doing here? Certainly the elders wouldn't have let him in. The Sand wasn't exactly known for its friendliness to strangers. "I've come for a cure!"

"You're the guy Gaara fought. Rock Lee, right? It seems age caught up to you in the short while we haven't seen each other." She said, referring to how old he looked.

"Agh, no! I'm Rock Lee's Sensei! Gai-Sensei! G-A-I, you hear me? You've already met me before, near the village on the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind! I'm here to find that Gaara kid and ask him how to fix Lee's legs!" Gai punched a Sand Shinobi in the face.

"You idiots, stop! He's just defending himself!" Rena hoped they had heard her, and judging by their actions coming to a halt, they did. They turned to her, and gave her a glare. She had only just returned to the Hidden Sand herself, so they were very wary of her. The Sand had sincere trust issues, and since Orochimaru's betrayal, they had only gotten worse. Almost paranoid, in fact.

"You must be insane if you think you can order us to stop. You may be Sansa's daughter, but you're not her. Besides, you hang out with the... evil monster." Fear was reflected in the shinobi's eyes, and although Rena was clearly weak against the Jonin, her attack came out of nowhere. Her fist connected with his face.

"I may not be strong, but I'll still defend my friends. You're a jerk! I'll fight you, in fact. If I win, then you'll take back what you said about Gaara! You'll apologize to him!" Rena glared at him. She didn't have the scythe that she had once held in the Chuunin exams; Sansa had confiscated it, locking it away in a cellar somewhere located in the Hidden Sand. There were many cellars, and it would take too long to search for it without Sansa finding out and moving it. But still, she'd fight as hard as she possibly could and give it her all.

"You think you can beat me?" The Jonin chuckled, and a dark look crossed his face. "Honestly, you're gonna turn around and head back the way you came; if not, I'll make you regret it, you disrespectful brat."

"You think you have the right to call me disrespectful!? You're talking about people behind their back! It's hurtful!" Rena tightened her hands into fists. Yes, she was weak; she couldn't defend anyone. She got her ass handed to her in the Chuunin exams; she almost even died. She needed to get stronger.

Might Gai recognized the expression on her face; in this child, he saw Lee. A person looking to prove themselves; to become stronger. She had the will, but she wasn't acting on it. He gave himself another secret mental goal; to unlock the hidden power of youth within Rena!

"Severe Leaf Hurricane!"

The Jonin went flying across the entrance; people were now turning to look at the chaos, and finding Rena wasn't surprising to them. However, finding a Leaf ninja was. Several people dashed off to alert the Elders; they'd know what to do.

"Wha..." Rena's muscles relaxed; the stress literally drained out of her. Pfft, the Jonin was talking big and he got knocked out of the fight by one little kick? Well, several little kicks.

"I'm Might Gai! From now on, you can call me Gai-Sensei!" He pointed to himself, flashing a smile and winking. Yes, he would allow this Hidden Sand Genin to become one of his students! Even if it was just for a day, there were thousands of seconds to unlock her potential!

"...I don't respect you, and you're not my teacher. I refuse." Rena shot him down. Gai turned white, and it was like he was just a plastic bag in the wind. "But, I'll help you find Gaara." Gai instantly regained color and looked at her with shining eyes. She took a step back, weirded out. "Only because he's trying really hard to change, okay?! Just don't attack him and me and you will be just peachy."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalright! I'll become someone you respect today, got it?!" Gai flashed his smile again, almost blinding Rena.

"Agh, stop smiling! Your teeth are reflecting the sun towards my eyes!" Rena covered her eyes, but Gai was already on top of it. He grabbed her wrist and charged into the Hidden Sand, despite having no idea where he was going.

"Let's go! The power of youth will fuel us!" It was like the guy was on fire and trying to find water in a desert to douse himself!

"Slow down!" Rena screeched, unable to control Gai's will of fire. "You're ripping my arm off!"

Meanwhile, in the Elder Council's Room

The Elders stared at Gaara, Sansa, Marionetta, Cheshire, Kankuro, Baki and Temari. Several other teams of shinobi were there, but they were unimportant to the Elders at this point. They had gathered everyone here for one reason, and one reason alone.

"A shinobi of the Hidden Leaf has infiltrated the Hidden Sand. He's beaten every ninja guarding the front of the village. Sources say he was heard being called Rock Lee, by Rena Hikari. He has kidnapped the kunoichi Rena. He is currently running all over the Hidden Sand, screaming obscurities and scaring the villagers." The first elder spoke, his eyes grim.

"What?" Temari said, her expression turning to one of immediate worry.

"That's impossible. Gaara crushed his right leg and arm. He shouldn't be able to walk, let alone take on an entire squadron of shinobi...!" Kankuro growled, biting his lip until blood dripped down his chin. "They said he'd never be fit to be a shinobi again."

"...But there is someone else, someone similar." Gaara's expression darkened as he remembered the fate he had inflicted upon the young shinobi; the look in Might Gai's eyes as he stared Gaara down... one of Gaara's hands began to uncontrollably shake. "I can deal with this, alone."

"No. The Shukaku may lose control." The second elder shot him down, instantly. "We should send someone more stable."

He hated how they talked about him as if he wasn't there, as if he was simply an object. It filled him with a burning rage, but he calmed himself down. It was to his surprise when Temari spoke out against the Elders; nobody had expected it, as Temari was the best at following orders, since she carried them out to the final instruction and above.

"The Shukaku won't lose control, and neither will Gaara." Temari was done with playing the scared little girl; she wasn't scared and she wasn't little anymore. Rena had been right; they had abandoned Gaara. She wasn't going to run anymore. "Gaara has complete control over the Shukaku now." It may have been a little white lie, but it would give Gaara time to truly tame it. She was betting everything on Gaara, including their position in the Hidden Sand.

"What? He can? This is good, very good." The third elder almost tripped over his own feet. "The village isn't-" But, his happy dance came to an end quickly as his eyes strayed to Gaara. "How do we know he won't turn on us? He hasn't been a peaceful person, and although there have been less incidents, we cannot trust him."

"Gaara has changed, and he won't hurt anyone." Kankuro stepped beside his sibling, putting a hand on his shoulder. He got what Temari was doing, and he was with her. It was all or nothing with this, and this was Gaara's chance to be at least a little trusted by the Hidden Sand.

"We just can't risk it." The first Elder shook his head.

"Wait." An old, yet wise voice filled the ears of the shinobi; yes, the oldest elder of them all. The eighth elder. "Gaara, your brother and sister are supporting you. Therefore, I, too, will put the slightest bit of faith in you. Go forth, and succeed. Should you fail, it would not bode well for you."

Yes, the Hidden Sand. A place where a shinobi was measured by what they were worth separately rather than on missions; the most judgmental place in the world.

Gaara nodded. "Thank you, honorable Elder." He disappeared, racing to find Rena and Might Gai.

"Are you insane, Shunsen?! Is your old age finally catching up with you?" The first Elder was hostile; he feared the fate of the sand.

"Maybe it is, my friend. However, I do know one thing. The look in his eyes is much different than before."

God Knows Where In the Sand Village

6:40PM

"You're going way too fast! I'm gonna be sick!" Rena yelled, tears flowing from her eyes. Gai had been pulling her all over the village; this was their 6th lap.

"Nonsense, we have the power of youth on our side! Gaara, show yourself! Where could you be hiding? Are you the very ground under our feet?! Where are you?" Gai did an awkward little jig on the spot.

"Here." The answer was quick and simple, like a shuriken hitting its mark. Just like the sand that darted towards Gai. Gai quickly dodged every one of Gaara's attacks, while Rena was being thrown all over the place. "Let her go." Gaara's sand reached for Rena, in an attempt to pull her from Gai's grasp.

"Gaara, I've been looking for you everywhere!" Gai flashed his smile.

"No, we've been looking in the exact same places."

"You don't seem the type for revenge." Gaara crossed his arms, glaring at the Jonin. This would be an extremely difficult battle; especially because Gaara hadn't been training as much as he'd like.

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense. I'm here for a cure!" Gai dropped Rena to the ground, who rolled around in pain.

"Don't just freaking drop me, damnit!"

"What are you screaming about?" Gai asked, looking down at Rena. His face showed that big, goofy grin once more. "Wait, are we doing this for the power of youth?! Yes! Let's scream and shout, and show everyone the power of youth!"

"What are you going on about?" Gaara gave Gai a stone-cold look, a glare with feeling; more feeling than usual, anyways. "Just let her go. We don't need to bring her into this. You didn't need to kidnap her."

"What..? Wait, Gaara, he didn't kidnap me! I offered to help him find you, because he's looking for something he lost... or something." Rena wiggled into the battlefield, still winded from when Gai had dropped her.

"What on earth could I have that this man lost?" Gaara crossed his arms, his gaze emotionless.

"You have a way to fix Lee's leg and arm, don't you? It's your Jutsu, after all!" Gai gave Gaara a thumbs up and struck a pose. Gaara's eyes widened, his expression turned to one of surprise.

"You came all this way for that..?" Gaara's grip on the fabric of his shirt suddenly became tight, and he turned paler than he was already. And then, the look on Gaara's face that broke Rena's heart to pieces decided to show for the very first time; it was a look of sorrow. He knew what had happened had been his fault and his fault alone; he seemed like he was about to cry. "I'm sorry. I can't fix his legs. If the doctors of the Hidden Leaf can't fix him, then I can't, either." His face went back to emotionless in a split second, his voice masked by the bland tone he always used. Rena was almost angry at him; how could he just mask his emotions like that? Why was he like a stone wall? Why, for once in his life, couldn't he just open up to people? Her anger slowly faded, though. She knew it was hard for Gaara, and that she should wait for him to open up to prevent him from getting further away from her. All she could do was wait, but the waiting was painful.

"Isn't there anything?" Guy muttered, grabbing his head with one hand. He seemed distressed; perhaps he had been to other villages in search of a 'cure' for Lee's affliction. His fist curled into a ball; he wanted to help Lee, because it was his fault that Lee was even in that hospital bed. Also, the nurses had gotten extremely pissed off when they went on their three day walk, and had Jonin posted to prevent such a thing from happening again.

"Well, some of our Elders are medical ninja. Maybe you can talk to them." Rena suggested. Gai reached out, grabbing Rena's arm in one hand and Gaara's in the other. Rena looked terrified, and Gaara curiously wondered why she had never made that face when he attempted to take her life during the Chuunin exams.

Gai launched himself into the air at top speed. "Let's go! Let the power of youth explode!"

Gaara finally understood what true terror was; this would be a test of endurance, to see if he could keep his calm while being extremely terrified.

This was the training he had been waiting for.

~ 9:00 PM, Sandstorm Avenue ~

"Is there really nothing that can be done?" Gai asked, staring at the ground. They had gone to the Elders, but they had refused to help an outsider. They demanded that Gai leave the Hidden Sand by sundown, but he seemed a little too depressed to make the trip.

"I'm...sorry." Gaara said, and for the first time, he meant it. It was a strange feeling, to feel sorry. It was a crushing mix of guilt and loneliness. But, it was new.

"You're a good kid, Gaara. You wasted your entire day trying to help me find a way to help Lee." Might Gai gave a small smile, but it was basked in sadness.

"It's my fault..." Gaara sighed, resting his head against the clay of Sansa's house. They were outside; Sansa herself wouldn't take well to someone inviting a Hidden Leaf ninja into her home.

"No, Gaara, it's my fault. I pushed him beyond his limits, and he paid the ultimate price. He would have done anything to prove himself, and that's what he did; Lee did so well, and that's all that matters. But, I'll never stop trying to find a cure for what happened to him." Gai's shoulders slumped over in a non-enthusiastic way, and Gaara felt uncomfortable. He liked the more energetic one.

"Thank you... I've been feeling guilty for a while now."

"I haven't forgiven you for your part in it, don't get me wrong. But, that girl... that 'Rena'. The day she becomes just as important to you as Lee is to me, you'll understand that when she does something for you and takes risks, even going as far as to impress you... Well, if she ever gets hurt, you'll know how I feel. That's the day I'll forgive you, truly.."

"I'll be sure to protect her. I won't allow a single drop of her blood to be shed." Gaara stood to his feet in a flash, his fists curled. For some reason, there was a burning feeling inside him; he would later come to understand it as passion.

"You're not even halfway there, kid." Gai sighed. "But, I'll give you an A for effort! Protect her with the power of youth!"

"I'd rather use my sand. Thanks anyways, though."

"And, to be honest, that girl will most likely protect you with every bit of strength she has. You truly have a strong girl at your side; she'll grow up to be a fine woman. I saw her punch someone much stronger than her today because they insulted you."

Gaara's surprise was unmaskable. He came to another one of his realizations; She had attacked Enma because of a joke, she had been starting fights all over the village, and she had been punching random people. Could she possibly have been doing it to defend him? He felt guilty. He had lectured her for an hour on pointless fights, too.

"It's not pointless."

She had been strong enough to hold the burden herself, so he wouldn't have to hear what they said.

"They deserve it for what they did."

Gaara's head sunk into his hands. He hadn't even noticed.

"Nah, it was nothing. Nothing more than them being annoying."

She had been defending him the entire time, fighting for him. That was the reason she had been concerned about their reputations.

"This won't be good for our reputation, though. My bad!"

Gaara sighed, his hands grabbing his hair. He wanted to pull it out, just from how stupid and blind he had been. "I don't deserve her."

"Then become someone who does, Gaara." Gai stood to his feet; Rena was in the distance. "I have to get back to the Hidden Leaf. Lee will be disappointed, but things happen. We'll overcome this with the power of youth!"

"Gai-Sensei!" Rena ran over to him, and panted, almost falling over.

"Yes, come to me, my student!" He opened his arms, and she skidded to a stop.

"These medicine balls were made by a friend of mine. It's a lot, but apparently they can help Lee's chances of healing faster if he eats them once a day." She dropped the large bag into Gai's arms. "Here's a warning, though. They smell and taste rank. But, the best medicine tastes the worst."

"Thank you, Rena! Lee will be estatic. I'll tell him you wish the best for his recovery!" Gai then turned around, plowing through anyone who got in his way without actually realizing he was doing so.

"Rena." Gaara stood from the wall, his face looking scary.

"Am... am I gonna be lectured again?" She shrunk back, scared of the endless torrent of words that would come from Gaara's mouth. However, the worst did not happen.

Instead, Gaara embraced her, kissing her on the lips ever so gently. "Thank you for standing up for me." He whispered, and gave her a genuine smile that almost stopped her heart. His expression was so gentle. No doubt, he'd be a very gentle man in nature when he grew up. She almost melted; her heart was beating fast.

Even if Gaara didn't show it, he loved her. His heart was beating equally fast; he didn't think he would have been able to grasp the concept of this kind of love without Rena. In fact, if she didn't exist, he'd probably never learn what this kind of love even was. He knew that he would still change his ways, but still... life without her here with him was unimaginable.

"Thank you, Gaara." She whispered, placing her forehead against his. She rested there for a second, both keeping their eyes closed and just enjoying one another's precence.

Maybe the waiting game wasn't so bad after all.

In the Elder Council's Room

"So, the issue is dealt with." The eighth elder emphasized the word 'dealt'.

"Yes, it was. The Hidden Leaf shinobi was seeking medicine for a shinobi who may never walk again." Gaara reported. Rena inwardly screamed. He was back to being emotionless! Was their progress gone, lost to the strange and mysterious void that was Gaara?!

"Thank you, Gaara. As for you, Rena, bringing an enemy shinobi into the village is normally a crime punishable by death. However, seeing as there was no harm caused to the village and he left peacefully, your punishment is to weed my garden."

The other Elder council members were dissatisfied with this turn out; they believed that death would have a greater effect on shinobi who were thinking about betraying the Hidden Sand.

"Noooooooooooo!" Rena screeched, dropping to her knees. "I mean, I have so much training to do! I have no time for such things!"

"You're forbidden from training for a week." The eighth gave her a warm smile. "So, that should give you plenty of time to reflect on your actions while cleaning my house."

"Wait, you can't just do that! A minute ago, you said I was weeding your garden!"

"Oh? You're going to take my dogs for a walk, too? What a kind kunoichi you are, Rena."

Rena let out a scream, rolling around on the floor. "This can't be happening! I despise cleaning!" Gaara almost laughed, but he kept it inside him. He'd laugh it out later, but right now, she was facing a serious felony and it would be best if he didn't. The eighth, however, shamelessly burst out into laughter.

"Honorable Elder, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to acquire the same punishment as Rena. I agreed to find the Hidden Leaf shinobi a cure, and therefore, I, too, should be punished." Gaara looked at Rena, and Rena stared back, grateful to him.

She couldn't survive without him now; could she possibly fall any deeper? If she did, then this would no longer be love, but an obsession. The eighth nodded, and watched as the two young shinobi left the room. He took a deep breath. "We can trust him."

"Are you insane? He's a monster." The third snapped.

"No, look into his eyes. The way he gazes fondly at the young kunoichi Rena; she's important to him. He's learned how to love, and he yearns for her. He can be trusted and he will be. Not only that, but his siblings would lie for him as well." He knew the truth, even if the other elders were blind to it. "This is my final decision as the Head Elder; no arguments, please. Soon, you'll all see... those two will inspire one another to get stronger. We also saw Gaara's loyalty in the fight against the Fire Sisters. He truly has changed, and has decided to protect the village. I expect great things from Gaara, and I believe the declaration he made at his father's funeral."

"You're as blind as a bat, Shusen." The third elder growled.

"We'll see in the near future." The eighth chuckled to himself.

Shusen's Garden

"It's so hot outside. Why the hell would anyone make a ninja city in the middle of a desert? Why not a nice oasis or something?" Rena was complaining, over and over again. It was one of the hotter days in the desert; it was, after all, summer.

"They made it in the desert because there is no high ground on the outside. It's purely strategic, and the only way to get on the top of the wall is from the inside." Gaara had rolled up his sleeves and pants, and was ripping out weeds from the garden like clockwork. "In the end, only we can brave the sandstorms surrounding the desert, and on top of that, should a village attempt to attack us we can attack from above."

"I get the strategy, but what good is a wall if the people inside die from heat-stroke?"

"Those born in the desert have a resistance to the heat, as it's all we've ever known. You, however, were born here and kidnapped from here. You've had no time to get used to the heat like any of the others had." Gaara grabbed a rake and neatly pulled the weeds into a pile.

"And what the hell is with the desert nights being so cold? It's like it can never make up its mind. Hot by day, cold by night."

"It's logic. The sun gives off heat. When it goes down, the heat is gone." Gaara collected the weeds in a garbage bag and threw them into the compost.

"I can't wait until we get inside." Rena said, standing up and brushing the dirt from her clothing. The sweat was almost unbearable. "Wait, we're already done out here!" The yard was perfectly done (Thanks to Gaara, who did most of the work) and the herbs the elder was growing remained untouched, watered according to the exact amounts on the list. "I think this might actually have some merit. I'll be able to become some kind of medical ninja if I learn about all of these herbs. Of course, it would take a lot of punishments for me to be able to learn them all...." Rena gave an annoyed smile in the direction of the sky.

Gaara and Rena quickly entered the Eighth's house to escape the growing heat, and were shocked at what was inside. Gaara was simply speechless, but Rena was excited.

Scrolls, trash and clothing lay everywhere. Rena was pumped that the eighth was just as messy as her. As she took a step into the endless mess, the sound of breaking glass caught her attention. She lifted up her foot, picking up a picture frame. "This guy looks like he's pretty young, Gaara. Could it be the old man?" She offered Gaara the picture, who took it.

"That was the Honorable Elder's son. He died in battle against the Shukaku 6 years ago. He was 22." Gaara had slipped into the library the night they returned to the sand, and got a record of all deaths during his slip of control. He memorized the shinobi he had killed, until it burned an image into his head. He couldn't forget them; he wouldn't. All of the deaths that were on his hands, up until now, were ones he would feel guilty for until the end of his days. He stared at the picture for a while longer, until Rena finally spoke up.

"So, the old man doesn't like Shukaku, then?"

"I am the one who lost control. If he dislikes anyone, it is me."

"Then let's apologize for it by doing what we came her e to do; let's find some candles and create a memorial of some sort." Gaara looked up at Rena; she made no sense to him. What could a memorial possibly do? It wouldn't bring anyone back to life.

"What would that do?"

"It would show him how sorry you are and bring him peace of mind." Rena bent down, gathering several scrolls in her arms; she turned to Gaara. "Go grab some tape and a maker. He says he sorted these by alphabetical order, but these shelves," She gestured to the shelves by nodding at them, "Don't have anything saying which letter goes where. We might as well make things easier for the old man, since age might be catching up with him."

~

Rena and Gaara had finally finished sorting the scrolls by alphabetical order; every scroll was neatly stacked in its place, and it was neat, perfect, even. She gave Gaara a thumbs up, giving him a smile. "Now, we have to throw away anything that seems to be trash. Make sure it's not important before you do, though."

Thirty minutes later, they had filled three garbage bags. Gaara had never physically done work like this before, so it was quite energy-draining. It took him ten minutes to get all three garbage bags out to the dumpster across the street.

By the time Gaara had entered the house again, Rena had set up a memorial of sorts; two candles were on either side of the photo, and she had removed the broken glass from the frame. There was an incense burning; it was nostalgic, and cast Gaara back into his memories.

~ F l a s h b a c k ~

Gaara had wandered out into the desert, searching for another rose. Yet again, every morning, before anyone in the sand village got up, he left the village in search of a single red rose. As he found it, his eyes lit up with joy, and he gave a large smile.

"Rena will love this one! I'm positive!" He picked it, and a thorn attempted to pierce his thumb. However, the sand protected him from the thorn's sharp attack. He stared at it. Yeah, this was what Rena meant by her song; the part about the roses meaning someone harm.

His sand swirled around him as he gently razed the thorns from the rose's stem; Rena didn't have a shield of sand to protect her like he did.

An hour later, he placed the rose on her doorstep and waited in the shadows of the alley across from her house. Like clockwork, three minutes later Rena opened her door. She bent down, picking up the rose; she wore almost the exact same thing as Gaara did, but her arms were bandaged all the way down. She gazed at the rose, and gave a happy smile.

"There's no thorns on this one! That's a first."

"You seem to have a secret admirer, don't you, Rena?" Sansa was in the doorway, staring directly at Gaara. She gave him a small smile, and winked. 'I'm rooting for you, kiddo,' she mouthed.

When Gaara got home, however, a certain person was waiting for him.

"Gaara, where have you been? I was worried."

His uncle.

~

Unpleasant thoughts filled Gaara's mind, and it snapped him out of his stupor of memories. He was with Rena now; he didn't want to think of that person. It was only luck that she hadn't asked; he probably wouldn't answer if she did, and she'd take it quite personally.

"If you sweep, I'll go get the leashes for the dogs." Before he could say anything, she ran out of the room. Gaara didn't particularly enjoy animals; they were terrified of him. With their acute sense of smell, they could sniff out the smell of blood that Gaara couldn't quite get off him. He feared that he might actually smell like that forever.

"You two work hard." Gaara spun around, sand floating in the air around him. He hadn't expected the Eighth Elder to be home so early. "You didn't waste a second slacking off. You even went out of your way to make a memorial for my son."

"My apologies." Gaara said, looking down at the ground.

"It was never your fault, child. I've never blamed you for what the monster did." The Elder's gentle smile filled Gaara's heart with warmth; nobody in the Hidden Sand was like this. "I'm sure if Yasutori saw this, he, too would not be able to blame you. In fact, I thank you, both for him and I. Ever since my son died, my home fell into the ruin you saw before; he wasn't there, so I almost never came home. But, now, with such a beautiful memorial, I don't think I can bear staying away."

"I will come back and help you again." Gaara said, staring the Elder down. The Elder chuckled.

"You're not one for social situations, are you? Nevertheless, you are still part of the Hidden Sand, no matter what anyone else says. Come, sit." He sat at the table which Gaara remembered was buried under mounds of scrolls. Gaara sat in a chair, putting his arms on the table.

"I want to become the Kazekage, you know. Someone in the Hidden Leaf touched my heart and changed my point of view. Naruto Uzumaki... he was strong because of love. I thought, if I too fought for love and not for myself, things would change. And, they really have."

"I believe in you, Gaara." That was the second time in his life he'd ever heard that. "It's truly going to be difficult, but I believe if you continue down this path, you will someday achieve your dream."

"I'll do my best to protect the Hidden Sand."

"And I will, too. I'll help you as much as I can; I see what others do not, but someday will."

"Oh, shit! Did the time limit totally run out without me noticing?!" Rena shouted at the top of her lungs, causing Usimomo and Usimimi to bark. They were Yorkie Terriers, and siblings as well.

"No, just checking up on you. I see that not only you've done your work with speed, but you've also got Sansa's foul mouth. Good job, but please refrain from screaming words like that at the top of your lungs."

"I had help, to be honest. Gaara is a lot stronger than I am." Rena chuckled weakly, giving a sad smile. She felt extremely inferior; god, why wasn't she as strong as him? She was pathetic, worthless. The shadow that claimed to be her mother flashed in her head for some reason; why was she thinking of this now?

"Someday you'll catch up, Rena. Keep trying; don't lose sight of your goals. You may not have physical strength but your heart is pure. You were also raised by the greatest tactician in the village; I expect great things from you, as well."

"Yeah, but I'm not as good as Sansa." Rena looked down at her open hands, sorrow in her heart. "She has other students that are smarter than me."

"To be honest, there's a reason why I came back earlier. There's a proposition I have for both of you. Kankuro had told me about how Gaara wanted to join the regular troops, and how he wanted to be Kazekage... not that I hadn't heard your speech during your father's funeral. So, I'm asking you both if you want to join the regular troops. Sansa has agreed to train Rena's mind and body to the point of a Kage's strength, which means that you're going to be under a lot of stress, Rena. You'll have duties and training back-to-back. It will take a long time, but we are also thinking of making another alliance with the Hidden Leaf. Unfortunately, until they have a new Hokage, I doubt we'll get a reply."

"You wouldn't be telling us this without a reason." Gaara's eyes narrowed. What did this elder want? Could it be some sort of blackmail, or a favor? Gaara didn't realize it, but he had just as much trust issues as the rest of the Hidden Sand. He was certainly one of them.

"After the way you handled the Leaf shinobi's infiltration, I think it would be a great asset to have you in the army. People will certainly disagree at first, but they will have to get over it. They have no choice. And please, both of you, call me Ojii-San."

"Ojii....san..." Gaara said, trying the word on his tongue. To be calling an elder by such a familial term... a red blush spread across his face. "Ojii-san, I accept your offer. I won't fail your expectations." Gaara stood up, and formally bowed.

"I had a feeling you would, Gaara." Ojii-san nodded. "However, the one I'm truly not sure about is Rena. What we're asking of you is a harsher training regiment than normal; even an ANBU couldn't possibly handle this type. If you decline, I'll understand."

Rena's fists tightened. She was afraid; she knew that the elder wouldn't lie to her, and this would most likely be the hardest stage in her life. The training she went through would probably be extremely difficult, and span all of her 'childhood', at least, the parts where normal children would be playing, and normal shinobi would be relaxing.

"I'll do it. If it means catching up to Gaara, if it means being of use to Gaara... I'll do my absolute best. No, I'll do even better than my best." Her resolve was strengthened by the thoughts running through her head. As long as it helped Gaara, she would go through anything.

"Rena..." Gaara's face showed the most feeling it had ever done, as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. His face turned bright red; he felt a gnawing need in his heart. He got up so fast that his chair fell over, and she got up to match, worried. But, she was shocked at his next action. Gaara embraced her tightly, seemingly not intending to let her go.

"You're a fool. You're always three steps behind me." He muttered, his voice full of emotion. It was literally dripping; she could feel every bit of how he felt for her in his voice. "Doing this... who says it's going to change anything? I understand that love makes people stronger, but putting your body and mind under strain isn't going to help you...! If you really want to be of use to me, then you'll-"

Rena stepped away from Gaara, forcefully removing his hands. "Gaara, you can order me around all you want. You can ask me to do anything, and I'd do it for you. But the one thing I won't do is jeopardize my kunoichi training! I will get as strong as you, maybe even more.... Until the day we can face each other in battle!"

Gaara's eyes widened as large as they could possibly go; she wanted to fight him? "...Wha? Rena, what are you...?"

"I want to be able to someday face you in battle and win! When that day comes, I won't hold back, and you won't, either!"

Gaara finally saw it; a flame other than the one she ignited in him. A flame that he couldn't mistake...! It was the exact same one he saw in Naruto.

Finally, Gaara understood another piece of the puzzle that was Rena. His eyes closed, and he opened them once more. A smirk was painted on his face, the very first one. He felt...confident. "Then, I'll wait... but to make matters clear, I'm never going to let you catch up to me. I'll make sure that you're no longer three steps behind me, but exactly how many as how old you are. Be prepared, Rena. By the end of the month, you'll be 14 steps behind me."

The nerve! The look on his face absolutely enraged Rena, but at the same time, made her extremely happy... She was so very happy. Finally, he wasn't treating her like a little sister or a child. He was treating her like his rival!

Gaara looked terrified, for some reason.

"R...Rena, was I too harsh?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're... crying...."

"Pfft... Have you never seen happy tears before?" Rena laughed through her tears, and Gaara looked away, blushing.

"You're so strange. For some reason, even though I can't express myself very well, you're always... you never give up."

Rena embraced Gaara this time, and tilted her head slightly upwards to kiss him. Both closed their eyes, and Ojii-san cleared his throat.

However, whatever had been eating at Gaara seemed to simply wash away. Even if they hadn't built every bridge yet, they had their entire life. Gaara was too strong to die, after all. She'd stay by his side forever.

"Make sure to walk my dogs, you two. I have plenty of paperwork to do; it'll keep me up. By tomorrow, I'll see to it that both of you are worked to the bone in the regular troops. Remember, this means you won't have as much time in the village as you might have wanted. I should also mention Kankuro and Temari have entered the regular troops as well. Cheshire and Marionetta have been going in different directions; one of our greatest medical ninja has recognized Cheshire's potential. Marionetta has been entered into the Sand Black Ops; it seems like her two modes were everything Sansa was looking for in a new assassin." He closed his eyes, and gave them an honest smile. "Anyways, I should start on that paperwork. Have a good time, you two." He disappeared; the Elder was once a good ninja, and his stealth in sneaking up on Gaara had proved that.

"I'm a step closer to my goals."

"And I, to mine. However, it's going to get really hard from here on out. There's going to be a lot of trials ahead of us. Ojii-san may accept and understand you, but we can't just stop there! People will continue to be the way they are until we change their minds."

"I swear to not only the Hidden Sand, but to you. I will become the Kazekage; Naruto has shown me the way." Gaara gave one of his genuine, heart-melting smiles.

"That's good and all, but we have a job to do." She shoved a dog leash towards him.

Gaara gave her a surprised look, but then began to laugh, hysterically. It was a fresh new look on him, and Rena enjoyed it. "As usual, you've got something different for me every single time I open you up. Maybe, however, that is a good thing; you know when a subject is finished, and when to continue."

Rena nodded, and this time, Gaara put his hand in hers, being the first to intertwine their fingers. They held hands subtly as they walked, slowly growing closer. Gaara swore that he would someday truly be able to show her the love she deserved, even if he still didn't understand the notion of love.


	7. The Tenma Way! Gaara Gets jealous!

Rena woke up to the sound of three shurikens hitting a heavy clay wall, just centimeters away from her face. A thin line of purple blood bloomed across her nose; one had only skimmed her. Rena rolled off the bed, hitting the floor.

"You should get up when you're told to, you little shit. You have less than 5 minutes to get to the regular troops, since it's your first day. After the regular troops, we're going to work on your speed; We're going to play a game of exaggerated 'Shinobi Tag'. As for your old team, Cheshire will be gone for a month; he's staying with medical ninja, so we won't see him for a while. Marionetta is doing espionage and such; she's training under several of the ANBU." Sansa walked over to the wall, peeling the shuriken from it. "Now get out of bed, or I won't miss again." Rena groaned and rolled across the floor to her dresser, not wanting to get up. However, all things must come to pass, including sleep.

As she got up, she ripped her dresser open while wrapping bandages around her fists and legs. She slid on a netting shirt and a solid black one over it, alike to Gaara's style, but the netting was all the way to her wrists. Her shorts were black and clung to her legs like normal, but they were as long as capris. She put on her sandals, and quickly shot downstairs.

Baki was eating ceral; he looked up, his face stoic. "You look like a professional shinobi. I'm proud."

"Thank you, Baki." Rena felt a little awkward still, but they were supposed to have bonding time soon; Sansa had promised that. "By the way, what's exaggerated 'Shinobi Tag'?"

"Well, it's a rarely used as a training method because of the way it's executed. It sounds childish, but it's actually very deadly. There's someone who is 'it', and someone who runs away. Running away can count to two different types of training; stealth and speed. The 'it' position trains strength. However, the runner can also choose to stand and fight, but if a single attack hits them, then they've failed the training. It would be the same if you were 'it'." Baki continued to eat his breakfast; he was almost on the verge of laughing. If Sansa was going to be training her like that, he might actually want to get included. Baki decided to grin rather than laugh, as not to somehow irritate Rena. If she was as irritable as Sansa, Baki probably wouldn't be able to survive the two.

"Wow, it sounds pretty intense." There was a worried look on her face, and Baki sighed, putting down the daily newspaper.

"You're going to be away from Cheshire and Marionetta for a while; you can't possibly feel too good about that, right?" Baki saying this caused Rena's face to show shock; Baki never showed affection during working hours, after all. But, she guessed that this might have been his leisure time.

"I'll be fine, Baki! I'll have Gaara by my side, after all."

Baki frowned; Rena still didn't see it. He was glad that Kankuro and Temari were there, partly to keep an eye on Gaara, but also to keep an eye on her. Rena didn't realize that Gaara wasn't the only one that cared for her; she was too blind to see that. Baki hoped that someday, she'd think about all of her friends rather than just focusing on devoting herself to one. He knew she would; children have to grow up, after all.

"That's what I'm worried about. What if Gaara lost control? What if you died in battle?"

"I'm not going to die... father." Rena gave him a genuine smile; she was trying. "I intend to stick by his side no matter what. If I stopped here, then what people were saying about him might seem true. Gaara will pass your expectations by a mile; all you have to do is give him a chance." With that, she grabbed her bag and weapons and left the house. Baki was left to think to himself on what she had meant by passing his expectations. Did he have expectations for Gaara?

Outside of Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro's Home

"Come on, Gaara. We're gonna be late." Rena pulled on Gaara's arm, attempting to get him to walk faster with physical strength. Due to his gourd, however, he was a lot heavier than expected and Rena failed. "They already think bad of us, and if we go around showing up late, they're gonna hate us more."

"We're going to be 20 minutes early at this pace." Gaara said in a low voice, gently. "Shut up."

"I know you really don't intend to be mean, Gaara, but other people hear you differently. You need to work on that." Rena smirked at Gaara, playfully pushing him. He didn't lose his balance whatsoever; with his gourd on his back, he was perfectly balanced.

"Maybe I want to be mean to you." Gaara's eyes flicked to Rena, simply to see her reaction.

"Impossible; you say you love me, which means that you could never intentionally be mean to me without a good reason." Her laugh filled his ears like stars filled a sky on a moonless night, and he enjoyed it. This was his life now, and it was wonderful. There were so many new things, so many new feelings; in fact, he learned that friendly competition existed.

"You may be correct, but I haven't truly done anything meaningful with you since we got back." This caused Rena to pause, looking up at the blue sky.

"I get why; you're scared of seeing me cry. I appreciate it, really. I like the fact you want to protect me, too, but I can stand on my own two feet. Meanwhile, if I had my first time with you, I wouldn't mind."

"Wha...?" Gaara was caught off guard by the last comment; it was uncalled for. Surely it was too soon...?! He didn't know what to do, and he felt panic swell inside him. How should he respond?!

"I meant my first date, you idiot. My first date with this you." Rena sighed, shrugging. "You're such a weirdo."

"... To be honest, I think you should ask Kankuro for that kind of stuff. I don't know how, so I probably wouldn't be good at it." Gaara was attempting to hide his shame, but it was his surprise and his alone when Rena punched him in the face. His sand shield didn't even put up a fight; it hadn't activated. He fell to the ground, but then looked up, anger taking control. "What the hell was that?"

"You just told me you'd rather I go on a date with your brother than you. I don't know what the hell kind of shit you're pulling, but it's not funny!" His eyes widened as he saw tears drip from her chin; she was crying. Rena ran past him, in the direction they were meant to go.

"I made her cry yet again." In his frustration, he covered his face with a single hand. "I can't touch her. Not when I'm like this."

~

Rena had sat as far away from Gaara as possible; on the other side of the room, actually. They were within the walls of the Hidden Sand, where the troops trained every day. A ninja boy, about her age, came up to her with a big smile plastered on his face.

"Hey, I'm Tenma! I'm actually kind of new to this entire ninja thing; I can do earth Jutsu, but I can't really focus my chakra. Someone said that you'd be able to help me with that...!" Tenma was an albino; white hair, white skin, pink eyes. He wore a simple everyday sand shinobi uniform. He must be referring to the people who had been punched by Rena; for some reason, infusing chakra into her punches and kicks was natural to her.

"Well, you can stay with me, then. I'll help you." Rena gave him one of her genuine smiles; on the other side of the room, however, darkness loomed over Gaara. He was glaring as he once had before the Chuunin Exams, and the result was several shinobi standing as far away from him as he could.

"Thanks.... Is it just me, or... is that guy staring at me...?" Tenma asked, fear in his voice. He definitely knew who Gaara was, but the fact he was glaring was extra scary to Tenma.

"Don't pay him any attention." Rena chided. "He's just sulking." Rena still felt hurt; when Gaara expressed that he'd rather she spend time with his brother than him, it almost broke her heart. Did he not want her around him?

The look on Gaara's face only got worse as time slowly ticked on. The guy next to her seemed to be extremely friendly with her; for some reason, he found that he didn't like that. Maybe he was an assassin, or an enemy shinobi masquerading as an innocent Hidden Sand soldier. Why the hell would he be approaching her? Gaara ran several reasons through his head, but none of them seemed right. There had to be something going on.

When she laughed because of something Tenma said, Gaara got the chills. His hatred was growing by the second, the poisonous feeling Gaara had abandoned back in the Hidden Leaf. Could it be that Gaara was reverting back to his old ways? Why was Rena letting this guy into her life?

Kankuro noticed Gaara sitting on his own, so he awkwardly walked over. "What the hell is going on? She's usually with you." Kankuro gestured to a now-giggling Rena. "What happened between you guys, did you have a fight?"

"I'd said I'd rather she go on a date with you than me because I lack experience in that field." Gaara's face was completely blank of emotion. Kankuro didn't know how he did it; Gaara was the luckiest guy in the world to have Rena's heart, and he'd just give it away to another person without feeling anything? Damn, Rena had it worse than Kankuro.

"That's saying 'I want you to see other people, as long as they aren't me.' You screwed up, Gaara." Kankuro wanted to hit Gaara, but the sand would protect him. At the very least, maybe just a little strangulation as punishment for his stupidity? Kankuro strangled his brother in his mind.

"What...?" Gaara's face was now bursting with emotion; Kankuro could tell he was panicking. Gaara had obviously not intended whatever he had said to Rena, and now, Kankuro would have to fix it.

"Relax, little bro. I'll go talk to her for you." Kankuro waved as he walked towards Rena.

"Thank you, Kankuro." Gaara's face reverted back to blank as he stared at Rena. All the while, a plan formed in Kankuro's mind; he would win over Rena, destroying their current relationship before it got too serious, and Gaara wouldn't realize Kankuro played a part in the destruction. He would take all of the Rena Points stolen from him by his siblings back. It was a plan worthy of a shinobi.

"Hey, Rena, can I talk to you for a sec?" Kankuro asked, grinning boyishly. Rena nodded, standing up. She'd be more than happy to grant Kankuro's wish to talk; she was feeling sad, and Kankuro always cheered her up. He was such a good friend; Rena hoped he'd stay by her side forever. She honestly appreciated him, and how supportive he was.

"Of course, Kankuro. Sorry, Tenma, I'll be right back; I'll teach you and your girlfriend chakra control when I get back." Rena waved to Tenma.

"Oh, no problem! Yana and I can wait for as long as necessary." Tenma nodded to the girl who had been silently sitting beside them, the one Gaara had overlooked. Rena walked away with Kankuro to an unoccupied corner of the room.

"So, what is it?" Rena asked, crossing her arms. She gave Kankuro a smile.

"Gaara." Kankuro replied, and Rena's smile faded into a frown, then to a sad smile. Kankuro couldn't do it; it would hurt her too much to break them up. "Gaara is.... Well, Gaara isn't good with relationships, okay? That's something we both know. Please, forgive him. He's gonna be an idiot in the beginning." Kankuro may not have been in a relationship before, but he had admirers. He was the son of the Kazekage, after all. Well, the late Kazekage. "He's devastated without you, Rena, and you don't exactly look like you're dancing through a field of flowers yourself. I don't like seeing you guys do this to yourselves; Please, you know he doesn't have experience. He just wants the best for you." He couldn't do it; he couldn't claim her as his own when she made an expression like that. Damn it, at this rate...

"Kankuro, you're so sweet." Rena balanced on her tiptoes, kissing Kankuro on the cheek. "I'll go talk to Gaara right now."

As he watched her walk away, he screamed at himself internally.

The hell was he thinking?! How could he not take that chance?! Was he an idiot? He was such a freaking idiot! Now, he would have an even harder time prying her from Gaara's grasp. Never mind; someday, he'd hold her. He promised himself that. He stared at Gaara, hoping that his brother would watch out; Kankuro would make a comeback!

Rena walked in a straight line, stopping right in front of him. Gaara stood to his feet in a hurry, and over three hundred people were staring at them. This confrontation would end in Rena's death... at least, that was what they thought. Rena kissed Gaara on the lips, ever so gently, causing three of the three hundred in the room to faint in terror. "I forgive you, Gaara."

Gaara felt slightly embarrassed as people stared at them in disbelief; he wasn't used to public affection like this. "People are staring..." He murmured. He had lost complete control of his internal emotions; they were spiraling. He felt dizzy, and the Shukaku's presence grew stronger. However, he pushed it back. He would not be losing control today.

"I don't care." Rena kissed him again, and several more people fainted. Others were waiting for the Shukaku to appear; surely Gaara wouldn't accept this sort of contact.

"She was...with that monster?" Tenma asked, judgment as clear as day in his eyes.

"How can we trust them? I don't want to work with either of them." Rena could hear several people talking about them; she didn't know who this was, though.

"What if the girl is a freak, too?" That stung a little. Rena turned to them, but Gaara placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You'll only make it worse." He said, under his breath. She shook her head.

"You'll see." She walked to the middle point of the room, with powerful strides. Everyone backed up when she came; they seemed to share fear. "Fear is the deciding point for several things. Fear can create war, fear can create suffering, and fear can create death." Gaara didn't see how this would make things better. "However, fear is also a motivator. Fear can extend you beyond the grasp of your limits; it can make you do things you never thought possible. I am Rena Hikari, daughter of Sansa Hikari. As such, I expect the same amount of respect she receives, whether you fear me or not. It is rude of you to assume both me and Gaara-sama are freaks; I do not take kindly to it. Make no mistake, this isn't me politely asking you to stop; I'm telling you. You people won't give us our first chance, and you judge us. It's not right, and it's not moral."

"We don't need to listen to you." A random man called out, and the crowd agreed. Rena gave the man a smile, filled with grace and poise. It wasn't one you'd expect on her; she had the reputation of a delinquent. It was more suited to a graceful lady of a clan or family; after all, in the Hidden Sand, rather than clans, they were families.

"You're the one calling a lady a freak. You're so low. Once you learn your manners, you have my permission to talk to me; however, understand this. If you all can't handle just being near a Jinchuriki, then you are failures as shinobi. I'm fourteen years old, and I can handle it. If you can't, then you're all pathetic and you don't deserve your titles." The entire room went silent; in reality, she made them think. They could deny what she said all they want, but it didn't stop it from being true. "I understand that we're all human, and humans are susceptible to being judgmental. But, at some point, you need to think about your selfish actions. Words do hurt, more than broken bones ever could." Rena then bowed, quite formally. "Thank you for your time. Please, continue with your day. Don't allow me to stop you."

She turned, walking back to Gaara. "I never knew you were such a powerful speaker. After what you said, nobody lashed back out at you. They're all too busy thinking over what you said." Gaara was impressed; very much so. He never expected Rena to have such a powerful influence, just from speaking.

"No, I don't think it's really all that impressive. I've actually never spoken in front of a large crowd before, so I had no idea what I was doing."

Gaara almost burst out into laughter; did she really not plan that? She moved the way she felt; it seemed like she hadn't planned out the encounter, which to Gaara, was extremely strange. And yet, even though she could have made a plan, she decided to 'wing it'.

"Gaara-sama."

Gaara froze in shock; he had never heard anyone call him that before. He turned to the source of the voice, and it happened to be Tenma. "I sincerely apologize for my behavior. Rena was correct, I am a failure as a shinobi. I've never actually met you in person, so ... I..." Tenma trailed off.

"I understand your fears. I haven't been the most approachable person in the past, but I'm willing to right my wrongs. I sincerely apologize for anyone that I may have caused suffering to."

Rena stared at Gaara; he didn't realize it, but he was way more influential with words than she was. Tenma nodded, giving a small smile.

"I'm glad... I mean, you seem scary now, but... Maybe you were scarier then."

"There's no need to be scared; it's not like Gaara is the Shukaku. The Shukaku is safely sealed away inside him, so you don't need to keep your distance."

"I'm sorry, but I'm more comfortable at a distance right now."

"That's fine, I guess. Thank you, Tenma. Hey, Gaara, let's go get something to eat later." Rena would need the food for the energy she was going to burn later with Sansa during shinobi tag.

~

"Do you see him?" Rena whispered to Gaara, as they walked to the ramen restaurant.

"It shouldn't even be a question. Of course I see him. I've been tailed before." Gaara's eyes slowly moved to the left, to glance at Tenma out of the corner of his eye. Tenma was attempting to look innocent, as if he wasn't following them, but Rena had never even seen the guy in this part of the neighbourhood. Gaara was acting extremely cocky; his face and voice may not show it, but he was.

"Don't get too confident, there. You might cause an earthquake and destroy the Hidden Sand with your newfound ego."

"I'm only confident because I keep the company of one of the most skilled ninja in the Hidden Sand." Gaara's voice was bland, but Rena's face went bright red. "I'm talking about me."

Rena almost burst out in laughter; Gaara's new sense of humor was wonderful. The fact he seemed literally emotionless while saying it made it all the more believable. He was definitely teasing her. It was good to know that he had a sense of humor, as it was almost impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"And to think, I thought you meant me." Rena feigned a heartbroken face, which caught Gaara's attention.

"Well, you're not the most skilled ninja in the Hidden Sand."

"Relax, Gaara. I'm not gonna get pissed off if you call me weak. I know what I am, and I'm working hard to change that. Someday, you'll say that to me and you'll mean it. Meanwhile, I thought you were actually referring to Sansa." She was referring to him being in the company of one of the most skilled shinobi in the Hidden Sand; she had her resolve, and she wouldn't have an equal at that time! But, that was pretty far away. Still, it was her goal!

"Rena..." Gaara's voice trailed off, a rare sight to see.

"G...Gaara!"

Both of them turned to the voice that was quivering in fear. It was Tenma, and he was shaking beyond anything Rena or Gaara had ever seen in their time as shinobi and kunoichi. Gaara stared at him, his normal expression painted across his face yet again. Rena wouldn't call him 'emotionally unstable' anymore, but he definitely wasn't steady with emotions yet.

"Gaara, I'd like to come with you!" Tenma declared, in a louder than usual voice. Gaara stared at Tenma. This public declaration was strange. Gaara had decided that this person would probably be the strangest one.

"Ask her." Gaara turned on his heel and began walking again, and Rena realized something; she, Temari, and Kankuro were the only people he cared enough to have conversations with. She had heard him talk plenty, and often, but only because most of the things she said needed a reply. Could it be that she actually annoyed Gaara?

"I..." Tenma's expression went to a more determined look; one that someone see on the face of someone getting back up from being knocked down. "I was asking you, Gaara!" Gaara turned back to Tenma, stopping temporarily.

Rena realized that it wasn't quite hatred that was keeping Gaara from responding to Tenma; in fact, it might actually be embarrassment. Rena knew that Gaara seemed to dislike public affection, but would not speak up against it if she did something suddenly, even if the entire world decided to turn their heads. Therefore, Gaara's social skills must be pretty rusty. He gets too embarrassed to lecture her when she does things like that. Rena wondered how he'd respond, but if she knew Gaara, she knew that he'd eventually open up to people and then slowly begin to fade from his stoic, 'scary' expressions.

"..." Gaara remained silent, and for a moment, Rena thought he wasn't going to answer Tenma. "Do what you want. It's your choice, not mine." He continued to walk, and alike to a person that he knew, Tenma followed him like a puppy.

Just the thought of the lost puppies that followed him made him smile.

Medical Ninja Training Greenhouse

Cheshire's fingers curled in frustration, and instead of healing the squirrel before him, he accidentally added salt to the wound with his chakra. The squirrel let out a scream; Cheshire jerked his hands away. Cheshire's chakra was extremely unstable, and he had a hard time controlling it. He had injured any animal he tried it on, and he hated it. His teacher watched, but intervened once she saw he was causing the animal more pain.

"Cheshire, you need more control. Your mind isn't here, where it should be when healing a living creature. You can't stay stuck in your thoughts; it needs concentration. I think that you're actually focusing on putting it out of its misery rather than healing it. Even so much as a different strain of thought can break the process, because our chakra is simply another ninja tool. We shape the weapon, and it does the job for us, whether it be in the form of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Taijutsu. Our chakra can harm just as well as it can heal." Yukari Ikoma, the teacher for Cheshire, put her hands on his shoulders in a comforting way. Unlike the much harsher teachers he had, she was more understanding; despite the way that the Hidden Sand felt about ninja who failed, his teacher had always remained kind to him.

"I can't...!" Cheshire shook his head rapidly, on the verge of tears. "No matter how hard I try, compared to Marionetta and Rena and everyone else in this damn village, I can't do anything! I only have one thing that makes me a shinobi; one Taijutsu skill! I hate this!" Cheshire slumped to the ground, tears finally spilling from his eyes. "I'm worthless! I'm absolutely useless..."

"Shut up and try again."

"Wha...?" He was surprised to hear such a harsh tone coming from the gentle Yukari.

"I said, shut up and try again. You may be struggling now, but someday, you'll be able to help them more than they could ever help you. You could save their lives, not as a warrior, but as a medical shinobi. As far as I know, Rena's come back pretty hurt before, not to mention some immediate medical attention she's needed after some of her missions. Of course, that shinobi is reckless and has a one-track mind. If you really want to do something for her, for Marionetta, for everyone.... Get up and try again."

Cheshire got on his feet, despite his shaky legs. He hated being a coward. He hated everything he was; he wasn't created for something like this. But, still, Rena would rely on him someday, and the day that day came, he would be prepared. His fists tightened. "You're... You're right! I can't sit around and complain about being useless. I need to start contributing; even if I'll only ever have Taijutsu and Medical Ninjutsu, bring it on! I'll become one of the best medical shinobi the world has ever seen!"

Cheshire put his hands over the squirrel's body, imbuing it with every good memory he could think of. He wanted it to live. He wanted it to feel better. He wanted it to heal. He focused all his chakra into the squirrel, willing it to heal with all of his strength. Its wounds slowly disappeared from its body, and it stood back up, scampering off the table.

"I knew you could do it, Cheshire." Despite all of his weaknesses, he was slowly growing into the role of a medical shinobi. Surely, he would achieve his goal, and perhaps be on par with the slug queen or perhaps even Lady Chiyo.

Cheshire's heart swelled in his chest. He hoped that Marionetta and Rena would wait for him; he'd become useful and help them both, no matter what it cost.

Black Ops Hidden Training Grounds

Marionetta whipped her puppets towards her opponent, quickly triggering the secret compartments that held poison darts. Her opponent narrowly dodged; Sansa didn't have the time to train her often, but that was fine. These people were challenging; there was a good reason people called them the dark side of the Hidden Sand.

Her technique was just about ready; her Tragedy Puppet Show. Three stages; three tragedies. She quickly slackened her chakra strings and pulled them back quickly, causing her puppets to jump backwards.

"A Thousand Sobbing Puppets!" It was time for tragedy. The technique started, and the sound of rattling joints filled the area, confusing the shinobi she was battling. Although Marionetta only had 50 puppets in her arsenal, [Most of them taken from the Hidden Sands' Puppetory] it still gave off the illusion that there were hundreds there. It was meant to be observed as a Genjutsu, while it was actually Ninjutsu, therefore tricking her opponent and leaving them open.

The sounds coming from the puppets were haunting; the rattling joints came together to make a sound that would cause anyone to pause, as the sound of crying children filled the area. Secret compartments opened and a rain of weapons were shot from each puppet. However, these weapons were completely silent, and you couldn't hear them cutting through the air because of the rattling joints of puppets.

As she cut down the jonin, and he was taken away for medical attention, a masked man stood in front of her, arms behind his back. He was known as the The Nightmare; he was one of Sansa's partners who worked in the Sand Black Ops.

"You've learned a new technique in twenty nine days. You could do better, but since this is our first drawn out training session, I'd assume that it's acceptable."

Marionetta bowed, and The Nightmare walked away.

She was becoming strong, just as she was created to do. She was curious; how would Kankuro fare, with his puppets? Soon, she'd be helping Rena on the battlefield, wherever that may be.

Cacti Plains

Temari fell to one knee, her breathing ragged. Her new summoning Jutsu was going quite well, almost too well. It drained her energy easily, though. Sickle Weasel was a difficult Jutsu to master, as it required her utmost determination. It had been twenty nine days since she had begun, and on the thirtieth day, they were all going to meet at the restaurant.

That meant she had an entire day to finish off this new Jutsu of hers. She smirked to herself, and bit her finger, spreading the blood coming from it across her fan. "Hhhhhhhhhhuah!"

She would beat her 'rival', Megumi. Tomorrow, the entire class of ninja-in-training graduates from the academy would become Genin. She'd wipe the floor with Megumi, especially since Megumi was only just starting out.

Hidden Sand Training Grounds

Kankuro swung his puppets around, defending from Tenma's attack. Damn it, how did he let this punk get dumped on him?! Oh, yeah.... Rena and Gaara had come to him, with this guy. They said he wanted to learn chakra control, and then Rena said... 'I figured I'd bring him to someone with lots of skill, so I chose you, Kankuro!' He couldn't deny her, not like that. And the smile she gave him! Damn it, Kankuro was getting distracted again.

"Now that I have greater chakra control, my Nindo, my Ninja Way, is to always help a friend in need as you have helped me! You've inspired me, Kankuro! I will someday surpass you!" Tenma launched forwards, and Kankuro inwardly screamed. How was Tenma expecting to surpass him if he wasn't a puppet user?!

Kankuro defended himself with the Black Ant. His new technique was finally ready, thanks to having Tenma as a living test subject.

Kankuro would prove that he was stronger than Gaara and make Rena acknowledge him at the same time. She may not know how he felt today, but someday, he would tell her. Until then, he'd keep training and getting stronger. He'd protect Gaara, when Gaara became Kazekage, and Rena, when Rena became his wife!

3 Hours Later, A Hidden Sand Special Area

Everyone had finished training, and thought it appropriate to go find Rena. Gaara had made the entire desert shake, Marionetta had made puppets cry, Kankuro had made a weird admirer, and Temari had become stronger. Cheshire had finally healed something properly.

All of them watched as what Sansa had called 'training' went on. Rena looked tired, and there were cuts all over her body. She was suffering from exhaustion and dehydration, while Sansa only looked a little deterred.

"Fire Style: Hell Fire Jutsu!" Sansa rapidly spit out balls of fire, which almost hit Rena. She barely dodged, and fell to the ground. "Get up. You're the one who said you wanted to do this, so I'm not going to stop attacking. Even if you're on the ground, I'll try and hit you as hard as I can."

Sansa had not been going easy on Rena; apparently, according to Baki, they didn't come home for days at a time. He had brought food to them, but sometimes, the food was uneaten. This time, they had been in the field without sleep for three days. Rena had been right to be afraid; everywhere in her body, there was pain.

Sansa threw her Fuma Shuriken, and Rena rolled out of the way just in time.

"Get up, Rena." It came back to Sansa, and she caught it easily. "I said, get up!"

Rena slowly struggled to her feet, and Sansa's face was scary.

"Have you learned nothing? We've been training for a while now. Come on, hit me with that new technique of yours, if you can. Or, has our run-away part been for nothing? Come on, was there no increment of speed? Or perhaps you've given up on your dreams of being as strong as Gaara. He has no use for someone as weak as you."

With that taunt, it was all Rena needed.

She disappeared, and in a flash, her hand slammed into Sansa's stomach. At first, nothing happened, but then chakra began to bubble through Rena's veins. "Lighting Style: Lightning Palm!"

Sansa flew backwards, electrocuted by the bits of electricity being sent through her. She slammed through a fence. "Yowch, kiddo. But, hey, you finally got it."

Rena's breathing calmed down, and she smiled, staring at her hands. "Yep, I finally did it." She looked up at Sansa. "How did you know what my second affinity was, though? We've never used that paper stuff, except for when I was 6."

Sansa froze.

"I just, well, I have a lightning affinity."

Lie, after lie, after lie. What was Sansa keeping from her? She remembered the clan, and its brutal ways, but not much else. Where did she fit in with that clan, with that shadow?

All of these memories were scaring her, and yet, for some reason...

Although she feared Orochimaru coming to take her back, she feared the shadow much more.

Heatstroke Road – Imawari's Café

Cheshire: Just so you know, Imawari's Café is a really popular place in the sand village! Oh, are you wondering why I'm here? Well, that's easy! I'm going to be explaining the places we go from now on.

Marionetta: As am I. I shall take over. You are taking too long, kitten.

Cheshire: I'm not a kitten!

Marionetta: Imawari's Café was created many years ago, during the Third Kazekage's reign over the Hidden Sand. The Family who owns the Café always names their daughter Imawari; from there on, Imawari inherits the café, every generation. It is a popular spot for younger Hidden Sand shinobi, and is generally seen as the most worthwhile date spot in the Hidden Sand.

Rena entered the café and started to walk to the table that Temari and a stranger were sitting at. Once they had seen how difficult things were for Rena, everyone had left to let her train. Temari had bought special ointments for Rena; she'd be giving them to her today, after nobody was looking. She was sure her brothers had the same intent; they had gone in separate directions, and seeing as they were love rivals, it was almost impossible for them to not have thought of it. However, now that the Kazekage was gone, more shops would probably be refusing Gaara service, or perhaps too afraid to refuse.

"Temari," The girl at the table said, her voice full of envy and awe.

"Megumi," Temari replied, acknowledging her with an overconfident smirk.

"Ashie!" A girl popped out from the bottom of the table, throwing her hands up in the air with an enthusiastic smile on her face. Temari and Megumi jumped in surprise, looking at her.

"So... How do you even do that?" Megumi asked the girl, whom Rena presumed was 'Ashie'.

"I got top marks for stealth in class, remember?"

"Yes, but how?"

"I don't know. For some reason, people don't see me if I'm not saying anything."

Both Temari and Megumi had no idea what to say to that; Ashie certainly wasn't unnoticeable. However, Temari's attention was pulled away from them when she saw Rena. "Rena! You're finally here! Come sit down. These two are pretty old friends of mine; some people who weren't intimidated by me being the Kazekage's daughter. Both of them graduated recently and are now Genin of the Hidden Sand! Ashie, Megumi, this is Rena!"

"Nice to meet you both!" Rena sat on the bench, giving them both smiles. She was beside Temari, so she felt a little more comfortable then she would when sitting beside a stranger.

"No need for the formalities, since Temari has already told me all about you! Has she told you about me? They call me the most beautiful girl in the Hidden Sand."

"You wish, Megumi."

"I don't need to wish for what I already have, Temari."

While the two started a hilarious argument, Ashie leaned over the table and gave Rena a massive smile."Hi, I'm Ashie! Most people call me by other names though, like Dreamer, or Absent-minded, or Silly."

Rena was slightly shocked at how oblivious this girl was; those weren't... nicknames at all.

"To be honest, I'm just really ran... hey, look! That guy is wearing his headband all funny!" Ashie said, pointing to a Jonin who had entered the building. The Jonin gave her a glare, and she ignored him. If a normal shinobi had been given a glare like that, they'd apologize immediately. Not Ashie, however. She seemed to be desensitized to everyone and everything around her and Rena loved it.

"I'm Rena Hikari, a simple Genin who failed the Chuunin Exams because of the Hidden Sand." Nope, no grudge there whatsoever. Temari let out a sigh, feeling guilty. "I'm also in a relationship with Gaara Suna."

"No...no way..." Megumi whispered, almost freaking out. She was trembling. "That...that guy is...G...Gaara is..." Her eyes were wide and she definitely showed fear; Temari put a hand on her shoulder.

"I told you about this, remember, Megumi?" Temari said, softly. This wasn't normally her style... unless...

"But, Temari... even you once..."

"That was a long time ago, Megumi. Please, just give this a chance."

"Hey, Kankuro! Speed your ass up, we get to eat with the Hidden Sand Babe Force!" A voice called from the outside of the café. Rena would refer to this as Voice #1.

"Dude, Nami, chill out, would you?" Voice #2, a new contestant!

"Kane!" Voice #1 sounded angry. So his name was Nami. "You're one of the hottest guys in the Hidden Sand! Almost any girl who sees you crushes on you so you have nothing to worry about, but guys like me have to compete with guys like you!" [Kane is pronounced Khon-ey]

"Nami, I agree with Kane. You freaking out is terrible. You're never going to get a girlfriend like that." There was a new voice, Voice #3.

"Echo, not you too, dude! C'mon, we're best friends, and you're the coolest guy in the Hidden Sand!" Nami didn't seem to have an off button, unfortunately. Several customers were looking annoyed.

"Teehee, you guys are absolute idiots. Now, shut up. My sister should be here already." Voice #4 pitched in. Kankuro seemed to remain silent, but Rena saw that he was truly there as the four voices entered with him in tow.

"Hey, Megumi. We're here." Echo gave her a kind smile; he had stress marks under his eyes and his headband was located on his forehead. He was taller than the rest, and his hair was a shaggy light grey. Rena assumed he didn't belong to a clan; no, he was much too plain for that. Besides, you could usually tell the difference between who's in a clan and who isn't.

Megumi walked right past him, and took Kane's hands into her own. "Kane, Kane! Why don't you come sit with me?"

Rena noted that Kane wore his headband in the exact same place as she did; around his neck. Meanwhile, Temari was looking to start some trouble. She began to laugh, and Megumi turned back to her, a glare on her face.

"What's up with you? Got something to say to me?"

"No, nothing at all." Temari gave a smirk, closing her eyes. "It's just... why would someone like him sit with someone like you while I'm in the area?"

"Temari!" Megumi yelled, blushing red. She was infuriated.

"Honestly, Temari, you should be quieter. All you ever do is start verbal fights with people." Kankuro sat in a chair, his expression solemn. Nobody really cared, and this went on for ten minutes as a distracted Kankuro kept thinking back to the Rena that was covered with injuries. In fact, she probably still had them. He held the herbs that prevented infection in his hand, and all he needed to do was give it to her.

Meanwhile, Rena's eyes flicked to the seat beside her, which she had been saving for Gaara. She hadn't really been interested in speaking to other people without him around.

"Apologies for being late. I stopped somewhere on the way." The café went silent, and nobody talked or smiled. They all stared as Gaara took a seat beside Rena.

"Took you long enough, Gaara."

Gaara ignored Kankuro's remark and took something out of his pocket, placing it on the table beside Rena.

"Wha... Gaara, why would you buy Rena burn ointment?" Temari asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because she's burned worse than she's cut. There's large patches of blistered skin; this will most likely heal her well."

"Thank you, Gaara." Rena gently squeezed his hand; she would give him a hug later.

"Marionetta, we're really late! Hurry up!" Cheshire burst through the door of the café, dashing towards the table. "Rena-nyaa~ I'm a medical shinobi now, an official one! I can heal you!"

"Congratulations, Cheshire." Rena gave him a small smile, as Marionetta entered the café behind him.

"I, too, have become stronger," Her voice was as blank as it had been thirty days ago; Marionetta didn't really change, but she was probably the strongest one there at the moment.

"I see you have the usual wide range of emotions." Kankuro gave her a grin as she sat beside him. Her head turned, and her blue eyes rested on him.

"Negative. My emotions are still undeveloped."

"Hey, I was being sarcastic!"

As everyone argued and bickered for hours, people seemed to be getting closer. Some even talked a little with Gaara, which in turn made Rena smile. Gaara wasn't alone anymore, and the Sand was developing something equal to the Leaf's Will of Fire. She didn't know what it was, but when she found out, Gaara would be the first to know. This was her dream, right here.

But still, there was a nagging feeling in her head that there had once been another dream, an unfinished one. What was she not remembering?

Still, a shadow rested over the Hidden Sand; but instead of the one that was there during the Chuunin exams, it was quite different. It simply walked past the denizens of the Hidden Sand, uncloaked and showing who it was; however, despite the obvious appearance of the outsider, nobody seemed to be stopping it.

The headband around her arm had a strange, unseen before mark; a circle with another circle inside it. Should someone actually see her, however, they wouldn't be able to identify her as a shinobi of any village.

However, when this Shinobi's genin were entered in the Chuunin Exams, their headbands were modified; they were made so nobody would look at them and see the mark.

Yes, the Hidden Light was well hid. Extremely so.

The Village Hidden in the Light was home to the Kage Clan, after all.

As she reached a certain building, she appeared outside of the second floor window. Watching, waiting for even just a little bit of information about the progress of the poison that was her sister.

Sansa was in her room. She stared at a photo of Rena, who was smiling, but she was 6 years old. A very long time ago, when things were simple. Sansa looked up, a grim look crossing her face. "I...refuse." She whispered, her face going white. "I refuse to allow Rena to become the Mitsukage of the Hikari Clan." 

A silent figure waited outside of the window and sneered as she jumped from the second floor. She was indetectable; such shinobi that were as weak as the Hidden Sand's wouldn't be able to detect her. Sansa was only making it easier for her to strike. The person whose form was barely a silhouette muttered a single line into the darkness. "I became the Kuraikage for a reason, darling sister. If Sansa refuses you the title of Mitsukage when the time comes, you will surely fall by my doing." And then, a grin like none other. Not malicious, per say, but amused and mocking.


	8. Kankuro and Temari's Radical Conversation!

"Kankuro, Rena says she's missing an article of clothing." Temari stood just in the doorframe of Kankuro's room, her arms crossed and a hard look on her face. Kankuro almost jumped, but he knew he'd look guilty if he did, and he didn't really wanna deal with that kind of stuff right now.

"What...? Oh, that's too bad." He feigned sorrow for whatever article of clothing Rena had particularly lost. 

"Why are you telling Kankuro this, Temari?" Kankuro's eyes widened; this was the last person he wanted to face in this situation. Gaara had been out all day, and Kankuro hadn't expected him to come home, certainly not when Temari was trying to interrogate him. Sweat dripped down Kankuro's brow; he was definitely dead. He was probably more than dead.

"No reason in particular, little brother. I was asking him to keep an eye out for Rena's missing piece of clothing." Temari gave Kankuro a smile, but it had poison in it, almost equal to a rattlesnake's. Kankuro felt as if his life was on the line, but he couldn't turn back now.

"Okay, I sure will! Hahahaha!" Kankuro's loud laugh filled an unsettling silence between the three Sand Siblings, two of which were awkwardly staring at him in disbelief. 

"Kankuro, are you all right? You seem to be acting stranger than usual." Gaara's face was completely blank, but he thought that Kankuro's brain may have been damaged from his last mission. If so, it would be problematic.

"Wow, you're cold. But hey, I'm fine! No underwear here." Kankuro gave a huge grin, and Temari's smile grew, showing annoyance.

"Hey, Kankuro... I never told you what she lost, now, did I?" Temari's fan was opened to the second moon, and Gaara's sand flowed around him menacingly. The look on Gaara's face was alike to before he fought Naruto, and Kankuro knew he had to get the hell out of there.

"Sh...shit! I'm out of here!" Kankuro nosedived out of his window, The Black Ant catching him. Strings of Chakra extended from his fingertips as he sped away, controlling The Black Ant's movements.

"Get back here, Kankuro!" For the first time, both Temari and Gaara harmonized their words. 

So, currently, the Hidden Sand's Sand Siblings are hunting for the underwear thief.

Should you see Kankuro Suna, please contact the Sand Siblings.

They will take care of him with extreme finesse.


	9. Rena and Gaara Go On a Mission! Possible Failure?!

Gaara was at the end of the line; he wouldn't be able to go on for much longer. He fell to one knee, his breathing ragged. He was pretty much out of chakra. Rena glared at him, her own chakra reserves almost done for.

The man they were fighting began to laugh. "You call that teamwork? Hah, every time you both try to attack me together, your attacks end up backlashing on both of you. "

"Gaara, you idiot! We have to figure out who's the lead and support... especially when Baki isn't here...!" Rena had assumed something like this would happen, especially because Gaara wasn't used to working together in conjunction with others.

"This isn't my fault. You should sit back and let me protect you rather than attacking me indirectly." And it cost him precious chakra and time. Why couldn't she stop trying to fight? He could easily handle this enemy if she wasn't here.

"I don't want to sit back while there's an enemy here, and you're in danger! I want to fight too!" Rena growled, making a hand sign. 

"You're just getting in my way. Stay back." Gaara ordered her, giving her a glare to deter her enthusiasm. However, it just enraged Rena further.

"I don't want to sit back when you're in danger, you idiot! I want to fight too!" Rena growled at him. Gaara's eyes shifted from Rena to the enemy, then back to Rena again.

"You just get in the way. Stay back." Gaara ordered, his voice strong.

"...Kankuro and Temari told me about your shitty teamwork. You're the reason why we're about to die!!!" Rena yelled at him.

"I'm your only salvation, so will you just shut the hell up already?" Gaara snarled.

Rena's glare got worse.

Our teamwork...if we don't fix this, we might just fail to return to the Sand Village...

____________________________________

4 HOURS EARLIER

"You, Gaara, and Baki are all assigned to this mission. There's a certain Sand Village Chuunin that abandoned the Sand Village. He's pretty high on the list in the bingo book, so we need him dealt with as soon as possible. As far as we know, Chesire can't be removed from his training as a medical ninja, Marionetta is on leave with injuries, and Sansa is busy training Marionetta, the cause for Marionetta's injuries in the first place. Kankuro and Temari are on a mission with the regular troops, and the other Genin of the sand village are still in training. By the time they get out and finish the Academy Training Program, next week, you will have a whole bunch of people to go with. There's quite a few promising ones, as well. I am excited to put Sansa's daughter to use as a team leader type." The first elder said, updating Gaara and Rena on the daily happenings of the village. "Anyways, the guy whom you will be hunting is called Hokotsuan Go. He murdered someone, and escaped. He has been sighted to the west of the sand border."

Gaara and Rena looked at each other and nodded. "Is there anything we need to look out for?" Gaara asked.

"He can only use earth style jutsu." The second elder said in reply, staring at the escaped betrayer's file.

"No Kekkai Genkai, I assume?" Rena asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"No. Remember, Kekkai Genkai usually come from clans only. As a result of your heritage from the Hikari clan, you have gained one Kekkai Genkai that has permanent use." The first replied.

"...so it is unlikely he is hiding one?" Gaara asked, wanting to be sure.

"It isn't unlikely, it's impossible. His family isn't pure-blooded enough for a Kekkai Genkai." The second said, continuing to scan the file.

"Very well. Me and Gaara will take Baki and get to the rendevous point." Rena said, and began to walk out of the room. As the doors closed behind them, the first elder turned to the eigth.

"The daughter of the legendary Blood Queen... Three Kekkai Genkai in one family... we've only met with one so far, but what if the others develop?" Asked the first.

"...Then it looks like the Village Hidden in the Sand gets possession of the Sharingan." The eigth said, closing his eyes.

"What about the family's trademark? The reason why they were unstoppable?" The first said, his voice rising in panic.

"...if Rena ever does have an affinity for Blood style release jutsu, then that is her choice. The members of the Hikari clan normally have an affinity for all chakra types except fire. If Rena keeps up with her training... she might rise above even her mother, one of the greatest and most brutal shinobi in the history of our lands. I was just a young boy when it happened, but many wars broke out over the years because of the Blood Queen. She finally became docile when she married into the Uchiha family; the Uchihas had a strong affinity to fire jutsu. They kept that. Although...I believe that someday... Blood style release will call to Rena, and become maybe even more powerful than her strong affinity to lightning. Someday, Rena and Gaara will make one of the greatest teams known to shinobi...provided that Gaara can let go of his thoughts that he's the only one who can fight to protect others." The eigth said calmly. The Seventh stared at the paperwork.

"Their affinity to become a team is strong, I admit. It seems most likely, most practical. But just because you are in love with someome doesn't mean you work like clockwork. If they truly want to become great, they will have to work at it. They won't just instantly become perfectly aligned with each other in battle." The Seventh said, speaking for the first time in days. The Eigth sighed.

"All you guys are thinking of is the present. Sure, they'll face hardships. But I believe they will remain with one another until the end, Okutsuki. After all... they've faced so many difficulties so far." The Eigth smiled, and the Seventh simply nodded and went back to his paperwork. He was a man of few words; he only spoke if neccesary. The Eigth stared out the window.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Seventh is correct. Gaara...Rena... I'm rooting for you both.

____________________________________

Gaara, Rena and Baki walked out of the village, and into the desert.

"I heard you developed a new jutsu." Baki said. "Your Taijutsu is pretty nice, but I'm curious as to what it possibly could be." He stared at Rena, expecting her to show him.

"It was actually quite difficult. I've honestly been practicing in secret since the Chuunin exams; only now it's taking shape and beginning to be useful." Rena said, looking forwards while walking.

"Show me, then." Baki said, stopping.

"Do we even have the time to stop? We're chasing an outlaw." Rena said, grumbling. She stopped anyways, and placed her right hand on her left wrist. She closed her eyes, focusing her chakra into one point, then formed the shape she wished. Lightning surrounded her hand, then simply focused on her palm. She opened her eyes, and pushed off with her feet. Her target was a rock. As soon as she touched the rock, head on, it exploded into pieces.

Baki was speechless. "The raw destructive power...if you combined that with one of Sansa's backhands..." Sweat began to form on Baki's face. "I don't even want to think about how long I'd be in the hospital..."

Rena sighed. "If you wouldn't do perverted stuff, then she wouldn't have to backhand you." Baki turned to Rena.

"...I'm a grown man, Rena." Was all he said.

"Back to the reason why you're backhanded so often." Rena said, scowling.

Gaara simply stared at the rock. "Impressive."

Rena turned to Gaara. "Honestly... is that what it takes for you to notice me, senpai?" She asked sadly.

"....?" Gaara couldn't understand what she meant by that, so he remained silent.

They continued on their way to the last place the deserter was spotted. By the time they had gotten there, and interviewed many of the citizens of the small village nearby.

"They say he's in a cave overlooking the town." Baki said. "Wait here. I'm going to go check out the cave. Do not follow me, and stick together." He ordered. Both Rena and Gaara nodded.

"Understood." Rena said, her face serious.

"You're...surprisingly not childish today, Rena. It's good for you." Baki said, then disappeared.

"Kay, let's go." Rena grabbed Gaara's hand and began to pull.

"Wait. You said you understood." Gaara said, planting his feet in the ground.

"Could you be any more monotone!? I said I acknowledged the fact that we'd stay together, not the one that we'd stay put." Rena said, raising one eyebrow.

"Of course, I could always go off alone, and be helpless without my big, bad Shukaku jinchuriki to protect me..." She winked. Gaara blushed.

"Fine. This jinchuriki will protect you. Don't go wandering off." He instantly hid his embarassment.

"Gaara...what happened to that cute little blush you had?" Rena teased.

"Try again in two years, when our bodies are developed. Then, I'll certainly jump on the chance to..." Gaara said, looking away.

"What are you talking about, weirdo?" Rena asked.

"...You'll know some breezy, desert night..." Gaara said, then smiled.

"..." Rena just stared at him, then sighed. "You know what? Let's just go." They both flash-stepped towards the opposite direction Baki went in.

__________________________________________________________________

THE PRESENT

Rena dodged another Earth Style spike. This was getting difficult.

"Earth Style: Earth Spike Jutsu!" The betrayer shotued. An earth spike headed straight for Gaara, on course. If they didn't do something, he'd die...!

"Lightning Style! Lightning Palm Jutsu!" That familiar tingling feeling shot through her arm, and she slammed her palm onto the rock, feeling it rub against her skin and injuring her. It's moving so fast, it's damaging my hand!!

The rock split into pieces. Gaara swallowed, nervous. "Just one more second...and I would have been done for."

"Then focus, god damn it!!!" Rena yelled, turning her head around. "Now. Let's try this again! Gaara, I'll cover you!"

"Right. Let's do this!" Gaara said, then made his handsigns. "Sand Coffin!" The sand wrapped around the enemy, holding him. "Sand...Burial!" He closed his fist. He panted, and began to bring his sand away. Then, his eyes widened.

The enemy was standing after that hit. "Stone Skin Jutsu." The betrayer said, smirking.

Gaara's eyes widened. He'd never met a single person who had ever resisted his Sand Coffin.

"Gaara. Use Sand Coffin again!!!" Rena said, her eyes sparking.

"But-" He started.

"Just do it! You trust me, don't you?!" At that moment, time stopped as their eyes met. Gaara's eyes widened.

I do.

I'd give my life to save you...so that means I should give my faith to you as well.

"SAND COFFIN!" Birds scattered. The man was surrounded.

"This again? I swear, you children....how pathetic." The betrayer said.

"Hah! Not this time!" Rena made a handsign. "Earth and earth may null each other out, but earth and lightning..." She looked up, a glint in her eye. The betrayer's eyes widened. "Gaara! Let's go!"

"Right!" He said, completely in sync with her.

"Lightning-"

"Lightning-"

"SAND COFFIN!!!" They said in unison. As her palm hit the sand, it inwardly began to crush the man. Giant bolts of electric energy rippled through the sand, electrocuting the man and breaking his Stone Skin jutsu.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" The scream came, and then all was silent. Gaara retracted his sand, and certainly, this time, the man was defeated. He slumped under a tree, catching his breath.

 

"..." He didn't speak. He was silent.

"..." Rena had the same idea. They then turned to each other.

"I'm sorry." They said, in unison. Then they laughed.

"You really are a leader type." Gaara said. "You got us in perfect unison with a couple of words."

"So are you, Gaara. We just couldn't assign the task of one another being the leader. We couldn't put aside our position for our teammates, and as such, that's the reason why we couldn't work together. I swear, this was my mistake." Rena said, breathing heavily.

"He's dead, and we're alive. As long as that remains the way it is, nothing else matters. No matter how many times you screw up...I'll always be there, even if nobody else forgives you, I will." Gaara said, grabbing her hand. He wanted, more than anything, for this relationship to surivive. He didn't care if they were both 12; he truly loved her. Others his age would barely begin to understand the emotions swelling in his chest; but he knew exactly what he wanted. There was no confusion. Before, he had snuck into his brother's room and had begun to read the magazines hidden in Kankuro's drawer under his boxers; he understood everything now. Someday, he would use the strange skillbooks Kankuro possessed. He'd use every skill in that book, no matter how weird.

"...Thank you, Gaara." She smiled. He squeezed her hand. "I get it. You can't show these feelings unless it's just me and you. I won't push you in public. I'll stop being so...weird around you."

"No." Gaara said, surprising her. "I like it...when you act like that. You're not scared, you're happy... and that's all that matters."

"Uhhh... Okay.... But..." Rena looked at the ground, red spreading across her face like a flame.

"What is it?" Gaara asked, blankly staring at her.

"I'll follow you to the end of the world, Gaara. No matter what...If you're near me...I think I can truly become strong and face my fears. I'll face anyone, if it means that I can stay by your side. Even your father." Rena said, smiling gently.

"...You're going to stand by me?" He asked. This was unexpected of Rena.

"Yes...because you're important to me, Gaara." She gently hugged him, and he embraced her back.

"I will not fail. I shall become Kazekage. And when I do...you'd better be beside me." Gaara said.

"No need to worry. I'll never leave your side. Even when I'm gone, I'll always be there in spirit." Rena said, smiling up at him.

"Rena! Gaara!" Baki's voice echoed through the forest. Gaara let go of her, and Rena tried to hold onto his hand.

"He doesn't approve yet. Until I get his approval...we can't go public to him. Not like this. I want to prove I'm not just going to steal everything away from him. I'm going to withhold the Shukaku, and protect you with my own power." Gaara said. Rena's hand dropped to her side, and she got up.

Baki appeared in the meadow, and ran towards Rena. "Are you hurt?! I heard a scream!" He checked her over, then sighed.

"Woah. You seem worried." Rena said, smiling.

"No. Only because Sansa would kill me if something happened to her daughter." Baki instantly denied it, turning away to hide his embarrassment. "Anyways. What was that scream? Did Gaara turn into the Shukaku?!"

"I'm pretty sure you'd know if a giant raccoon made out of sand came from nowhere. Other than that, no. He didn't. We killed off the betrayer." Rena said, smiling at Gaara.

"...You two were only meant to be supports for this mission....there's no way. He was a Jonin..." Baki said, his face becoming an expression of surprise.

"We beat him together." Gaara said, crossing his arms and leaning against a tree.

"Yep. We even collaborated a new jutsu." Rena said, leaning on the other side of the tree and smirking at Baki.

"...How amazing. In the midst of battle, no planning or training... you pulled your shit together and managed to work together, with no previous experience..." Baki was completely shocked. For sure, Rena. But...Gaara?

"Mmmhm. I'd like to hear words of praise, old man." Rena said, nodding.

"THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS BE HUMBLE AFTER DISOBEYING DIRECT ORDERS!" Baki yelled, remembering the fact his orders were broken. "You said you understood!"

"I said I understood that we would stay together. I never said anything about staying put-" Rena's sentence was stopped short, because she was hit on the head. "Owww! What was that for?!" She yelled angrily.

"That was for worrying me! Do you know how much panic you put me through?!" Baki yelled back. His face was red with anger.

"Hah! I was right, it wasn't for Sansa!" Rena said, smiling. Baki began to stutter.

"N-no! It...I mean, it was...She'd backhand me hard if you got hurt!" Baki said, crossing his arms.

"Pfft. You can't fool me, Baki!" Rena said, walking alongside him.

"Grrr...s-shut up. It's not care, it's forced maternal affection!" Baki argued.

Gaara simply walked behind them, in their shadows. But this was okay. He felt loved, even when she wasn't paying attention to him. He knew he was always in her mind.

She looked back, giving him the most sincere smile he had ever seen on her face.

_________________________________________________________________

"So Gaara and Rena proved a formidable team?" The Eighth asked, crossing his arms.

"Impossible. No way." The Third denied.

"Hohohoho! I certainly am glad I came today. I usually skip these stupid meetings." The Sixth said, smiling. "This is some juicy stuff you got here, Baki. To think the two most unlikely to ever do anything for the Sand Village managed to take out an advanced Jonin."

"Hmph. I am still not impressed." The Fourth said, a frown crossing his face. "Gaara could very well betray the Sand Village."

"He will not do such a thing." The Seventh spoke. All of the elders turned to stare at him. "He is loyal. He is trusted by me. The Eighth was correct; I have changed my views. He now has two of the Elder Council on his side."

The glares from the other council members intensified. Not only was there a war outside of Sunagakure, but the Elders, too, were slowly turning on each other.

A war inside Sunagakure was beginning; and all because of one boy.

Gaara Suna.


	10. First Mission With Two New Genin!

It was a new day in the Hidden Sand, and two extremely familiar shinobi were taking a stroll through the village, talking about their new combined Jutsu. "Lightning Sand Coffin is too lethal for words. Even if someone withstands the sheer crushing power of Sand Coffin, Lightning Sand Coffin will definitely finish the job." Rena laughed loudly; she was being proud again.

"It would be useless, should we meet someone with the ability to withstand both lightning and earth jutsu."

"Gaara, you're always so negative!"

"I'd like to believe that I'm a positive thinker."

"Stop teasing me like that! You know it freaks me out when you start to joke about things, humor is unnatural for you!"

Gaara was about to tease Rena again, but the sounds of shouting made him pause. His turquoise orbs turned to the direction that the noise came from, his face expressionless. "What is that?"

"It sounds like someone's gotten into a fight. Let's go check it out!" Rena grabbed Gaara's hand and pulled him towards the sounds. Just to mess with her, he surrounded his feet with sand, making the dragging process a lot slower. "Damn it, you weigh more than I do!"

"Aren't you supposed to make me feel better about myself? Is that not the job of a significant other?"

"Gaara!" Rena hated it when he teased her like this. Since when had he gotten so sly?! When he was a child, he had never acted like this. They had finally reached the source of the yelling; it was a team of three shinobi, and a crowd was gathering.

"Damn it, Chichi! We could have died back there! Why the hell would you just abandon us like that?!" The girl with sandy brown hair had a piercing voice; she seemed to be pretty pissed off.

"Simple, Unmei. You were going to get your asses kicked. I did the smart thing and retreated; what's the point of me getting beat up, too?" Chichi's eyelids were slightly drooping, a sign of boredom. Her bangs were pinned back, and the sides of her hair were messier than the top. She reminded Rena of someone in appearance, but Rena couldn't remember who.

"You could have helped us!" The other guy yelled. They were double-teaming Chichi, attempting to make her feel guilty for whatever she did.

"Look, guys, I retreated! A smart kunoichi knows when to retreat, even at the expense of their comrades' lives. Bug off." Chichi shrugged, shoving her hands into her pockets. She slouched, a sign of poor posture. Maybe she was extremely lazy.

"You're no comrade of ours. You barely even qualify as a kunoichi! You haven't even helped us fight yet. You're a worthless piece of shit who can't work with a team! You only care about yourself!"

Chichi began to laugh, and it echoed over the girl's anger. She threw her head back, unable to control her laughter. "So what? If that's what it takes for me to survive, sacrificing my comrades' lives in exchange for saving my own, then I'll do it."

"You're a failure as a kunoichi!"

"Yah, yah. You're repeating." Chichi rolled her eyes. "Unmei, you're just as much of a failure as me." She stepped away from her teammates, walking in a different direction.

"Chichi, don't you walk away from me!" Unmei yelled. The team leader put a hand on Unmei's shoulder.

"Unmei, as team leader, this is my fault. I'm sorry." He had a pained expression on his face, and he couldn't look Unmei directly in the eye.

"Yukari, it's not your fault. It's Chichi! She cares about nobody but herself. She would never put herself in danger for another person." Unmei glared at Chichi's back; Chichi didn't seem to care.

She continued walking away, without a care in the world. A fist connected with her face, and she fell backwards. Chichi stared up at her attacker, shock in her eyes. People were waiting and watching to see what would happen next; everyone in the Hidden Sand seemed to love drama.

"What the hell was that fo-"

"We have a bit of an issue, friend. My morals are airtight, and I have no problems with beating the shit out of people who deserve it." Rena cracked her knuckles in a menacing way, glaring downwards at the fallen Chichi.

"I deserve it? For what, preventing my own death?" Chichi gave a confident smirk; all it would take would be a little bit of a conversation and this one, too, would leave her alone. "That's like saying I deserve to die."

"For abandoning your team, yes, you do! From what I've heard, you're nothing more than a waste of space!" Rena yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at Chichi, who only shrugged.

"Hahaha! Says the girl who was kidnapped by Orochimaru." Chichi gave a malicious smile, and Rena's head began to spin.

"How did you know about that...!?" Rena couldn't recall telling anyone. Maybe Gaara, but nobody else!

"Rushing to get to Gaara. Gaara, oh Gaara, I'm coming, I promise! Gaara, I'm not going to let them get you! Gaara! You repeated that name over and over again, the freak's name." Chichi stood back up, giving another one of her smiles. She took a step forwards, and Rena took a step back.

"How the hell would you know about that?! Everyone was evacuated from the village!" Rena's heart was pounding in her chest.

"Simple, kid. I watched as you were taken, and I did absolutely nothing. I saw you being attacked by Orochimaru and all I did was hide and laugh, because it wasn't me. It was you." Chichi's presence was getting extremely intimidating; with each step she took towards Rena, she seemed to be getting more and more powerful.

"You saw.... You saw, and you didn't do anything...?" Fury was raising in Rena's chest; she tightly clenched her fists to keep herself from hitting Chichi. She wanted to understand why Chichi ignored her pleas for help.

"What could someone as tiny as me possibly do? I was only a 6-year-old, after all..." Chichi's smile turned into a look of absolute disgust. It had gone from Rena being the one looking down on her to Chichi being the one looking down on Rena.

"You could have alerted someone! Hell, you could have told Sansa I was kidnapped! You could have told the Kazekage it was him! You could have saved me, damn it!" Rena grabbed Chichi by the collar, and it was obvious that her mood was quickly escalating in anger. She couldn't hold back any longer. "Do you even realize what happened to me?! Do you know what he did to me?!"

A Month Before Rena's Return

Orochimaru's sickening smile was all that she could remember. "Such an interesting test subject." He examined the girl's body, making sure to be extremely thorough. Even if it was the 1,000th time... no, the 10,000th time, it was always so interesting. The reactions of her blood were different to those of normal blood. For a fact, the blood running through this child's body stained her hair purple; it would be adequate to say to cut the hair would be to quite painful. Orochimaru had been letting it grow, but it was almost time to cut the hair that had once been measured to the child's waist. Now, it was at her ankles.

His other test had proved extremely fruitful; the child could survive for five minutes without a drop of blood in her body. It would function normally, keeping the body alive for as long as possible.. It seemed like blood loss would affect this child differently than other shinobi or kunoichi. Orochimaru hadn't let her seen her own blood, as it seemed like she had no idea what she was. She didn't need to know, it was unnecessary. It was easier like this, without questions.

"Please, stop... let me go back..." Rena's sobs were heard by all in the presence of the current tests. All who were loyal to Orochimaru.

"Really, you think you're going to be returning to your beloved Jinchuriki? He, too, will die soon enough." Orochimaru's laugh echoed through the cavern in which the test was taking place; further tears filled Rena's eyes.

"Shut up...! Gaara is.... Gaara is all I have left!" Rena growled, summoning all her strength to deny him.

"This is getting quite tiring, being an everyday thing. You seem to be on endless repeat. Kimimaro, take her back to her cell." Orochimaru put down his scalpel, waving one of his arms towards Rena.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." Kimimaro nodded. Orochimaru left the room, and Kimimaro gently took hold of Rena's arm, who still had yet to recover. "Please, come with me." Rena rested her weight on Kimimaro, who gently guided her to a cell room.

"Why is he doing this?" Rena murmured, her eyes downcast. Kimimaro knew that Lord Orochimaru didn't actually need Rena for his plans; she didn't even have a curse mark. Lord Orochimaru had no intent of placing one on her, either. The silence from Kimimaro was normal, but the ring of metal hitting stone was different. She watched him leave the key on the ground, despite hearing it drop. "I didn't see anything." He walked out, leaving the door wide open. "I didn't see that, either." He didn't take another step forwards, but instead, looked back, a single glance. "Go. Find the person most important to you; I know that this 'Gaara' is someone who you'd die for. Please, if you feel the same as I do every day, I want you to leave here and fulfill that bond."

"Thank-"

"Don't thank me. I'm only doing this because I, myself, feel desperate. The only name I hear you say, during countless operations, is Gaara. Despite the scars you have, you've managed to keep your sanity." Kimimaro turned back to his original path, the one where he separated from Rena, hopefully for good. "Be out in less than an hour; otherwise, my mind will change and I will sound the alarm."

Rena waited for exactly five minutes, weighing her options. If she was caught again, it may be her last moments alive. However, if she stayed, there was a possibility she'd never get a chance to see Gaara again. Her resolution was made easily, and she stepped out of the door. She locked her cell behind her, throwing the keys through the bars.

A small girl was waiting outside of her cell, in rags. Her hair was short, and her eyes were filled with hope.

"Lament...!" Rena said, her eyes widening.

"Rena, promise me. Promise you'll become powerful and change the world! Someday, I'll escape too. I'll get power, no matter what the cost is!" Lament grabbed Rena's hand, squeezing it tightly. In her grip, there was little strength. She was considered a failed experiment. "Run, quick! Orochimaru is heading this way; I overheard that he wanted to start a new experiment with you! You need to escape, now!" Despite her weak body, Lament pushed Rena towards the direction opposite from which Orochimaru was coming.

"I... I promise, Lament! I'll go now. I've developed my Wind Affinity; I can feel the breeze on my skin, even now. The exit is close..!" Rena bolted, not looking back. She knew that the exit was near; she could feel the breeze caressing her cheek. Her heart burst with excitement; she would finally see Gaara again.

It had been so long...! She'd be seeing Gaara again...!

Present

"Don't know, don't care. That was your problem, not mine." Chichi shrugged, rolling her eyes and seeming even more bored then when her teammates had approached her. Rena trembled in rage, her eyes alight with a fire that Gaara couldn't explain. What did Rena suffer? Would he ever know? Would she ever share her pain with him?

"I suffered an unexplainable amount. Because one person acknowledged the bond I had... that was why I was freed! Only because one person simply 'left a door open.' One person just simply 'didn't realize the test subject escaped.'" Rena's fists tightened, and her glare was enough to rival Chichi and make her stagger. "Because of one person's selfless act, I was able to leave that hellhole!! Because someone decided to make a difference. I don't know if that person is alive or dead because of me, and all you do is smirk about it?! The one who could've stopped it all...?!"

"Gah, this got boring pretty fast. I'm outta here. It's no fun when they fight back." Chichi walked away, slouching over. All Rena could do was glare at her while she walked away.

"Stop." A familiar, emotionless and cold voice came from behind Chichi. Even in the desert, it was enough to make the sun freeze over. She froze in terror, shaking. Her eyes were wide, and her face was a depiction of absolute terror. She could feel Gaara's anger, even though they were nowhere close to each other. She had pissed off the wrong person, and she knew that. But why? Why would the murderer be angry...?

"G....Gaara Suna. I certainly meant n...no disrespect." Chichi said, her stutter displaying how afraid she truly was. She could face anyone in the Hidden Sand and walk away without a scratch, anyone except this guy. The last time she had a run-in with him in a dark alley... well, it nearly ended the way it did for her parents.

"Really? The last I heard, you made Rena Hikari cry." Gaara's old personality shone through his new one. Sand swarmed around him, and the crowd started to disperse when they saw the look in his eye. "Maybe I should make you cry, too.."

Rena quickly embraced Gaara from behind, not even bothering about the tears flowing from her eyes. She was definitely a crybaby, and she was certainly weaker than Gaara... but she'd stay by his side. The Gaara now was nothing like the old Gaara. In fact, this was the Gaara from eight years ago. The one that protected her when they were children. "You can't change the past, Gaara, but we have our entire future ahead of us. That's enough, right?" She trusted Gaara, and she trusted in his future. His heartbeat began to slow.

"You're only alive right now because she intervened. You owe her much more than you'd ever be able to repay." Gaara's hard lingered where Rena's embraced him. He didn't want her to suffer any longer, and to prevent her suffering, he was prepared to kill anyone. If Rena hadn't stopped him, she'd be dead by now.

He still glared at Chichi. He couldn't stand the thought of her, the person who abandoned the one he held so close to his heart. It was also upsetting, because it reminded him of how he didn't search for her. Admittedly, when he went on missions, he made sure to search for rumors of a purple-haired child. Some nights, he crossed the desert about 5 times in a row. However, he never lingered beyond the borders of the Land of Wind. Maybe if he did, maybe he would have found her sooner. However, he'd been afraid. He had been afraid of feeling something other than hatred and contempt for another person.

Rena led Gaara away, who didn't hesitate to follow the purple-haired siren, whose words were like his personal lullaby.

Meanwhile, Chichi released all of the air in her lungs. She had been holding her breath, but the terror inside her faded away with each step the monster that murdered her parents took.

The Night of Shukaku's Rampage

"M...Mommy! Wait for me!" A younger Chichi shouted, unable to run as fast as her mother.

"You stupid fucking kid! Do you think I'd sacrifice my life to save you?! Hell, I chose tonight to abandon both you and the Hidden Sand! I wasn't prepared for this!" Her mother let out a sort of insane laughter. The Shukaku stepped on her mother, and warm blood sprayed across Chichi's face.

"Mo....." Her fingers gently caressed her own cheek, and she stared at the liquid that stained her fingers. It was so red, that her entire vision began to wane. "Mommy...?"

"Gaara...! Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaara!" The sound of a little girl screaming caught Chichi's attention. A girl was dashing across the rooftops at top speed. She was getting closer to Shukaku with every step, reaching towards it...

Until a kunai pierced her chest.

The girl stopped, looking down at her chest in terror. She stumbled forwards, and then took a nosedive off the roof. Chichi watched as the girl fell to the ground, her eyes coming to a gentle close. Her purple hair flowed in the wind behind her.

A man with the smile of a snake caught her. "What an amazing specimen, an actual Hikari... how very rare. I will enjoy stealing every one of your clan's secrets..." The man grinned, letting out small bouts of laughter. "I heard the Hikari Clan tortures their own children to improve resistance to physical hits. I wonder, can you survive what I'm going to do to you?"

"No... Let go.... I need to get to Gaara... I need to see Gaara...!" The girl whispered, almost hoarsely. Chichi could tell she didn't have long left.

"Hmmm....? The Jinchuriki of the Shukaku? You'll never be seeing him again. Don't worry.... I'll take care of you." Orochimaru began to walk in Chichi's direction. Chichi hid, knowing she'd be killed if this shinobi found her... or worse.

"No... G-Gaara..." The girl let out a gurgling sound, and she passed out from pain. The man disappeared and Chichi took a deep breath..

"I see now... hahaha, I get it! Live to save myself, and nobody else. That's why I shouldn't help that girl... or anyone else. Mommy, your death taught me a good lesson. Daddy, you taught me lots too when you abandoned mommy and me."

Chichi looked up, and there was nothing but suffering and loneliness in her eyes.

Present Day

Elder Council's Chamber

Rena entered the Elder's council chamber, shutting the door gently behind her. She didn't want to seem hasty, but she was an hour late. She was a little nervous; she expected punishment, but it couldn't be helped, with the current situation. Maybe she could talk them out of it; Sansa had always said that Rena could be silver-tongued. Maybe now was the time to test that out?

Rena took a bow, tensing up. Perhaps their rage would be unbridled. "Sorry I'm late. Gaara and Temari were chasing Kankuro down; something about a borrowed item; I had to separate them, and it took me about an hour." Rena gave a small smile, but the smile was dropped from her face when she saw Chichi, nonchalantly shrugging in the corner. "Honorable Elders, please forgive my impolite tone, but what is she doing here?"

Chichi turned away, scowling. Who the hell did this girl think she was, keeping everyone waiting like this? If only that freak wasn't so protective of the girl, Chichi'd have her way without anyone screwing it up. However, even now, picking a fight with the Eggplant-Hair was a dangerous feud, what with Gaara and the Elders. She'd do it later. Also, it was so damn annoying!

The Eighth stood from his chair, his hands behind his back. "We are pressed for team leaders and Jonin, so unfortunately; we're sending you Genin on an A-Rank mission. I know you don't have the experience for this, but Sansa suggested you. We lost a lot of shinobi during the attack on Konoha, so I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to team up with someone you may have not met yet. You're going to be killing a bounty collector."

"Wait, wait! You expect me to go with only her?!" Rena pointed an accusatory finger at Chichi, giving a glare to accompany it. The Eighth cleared his throat.

"You'll be taking another kunoichi with you. Chichi and Kokoro are both support-types, which means you will be team leader. You are expected to come back with good news; This bounty collector is in Okoro Halfway Point. His name is Tossen Ukata."

There was no time to selfishly complain and start a fit. Whether you are a kunoichi or shinobi, feelings meant nothing during a mission. Rena couldn't jeopardize an A-Rank mission just because she wanted to; the world didn't revolve around her. She understood that. "Very well." The Hidden Sand's survival was the prime target; if this was the team chosen for the mission, then she would dispatch this team with the skill of a Jonin.

"...Fine." Chichi shoved her hands in her pockets, a blank look on her face. Rena stole a small glance in Chichi's direction. Chichi actually reminded her quite a bit of Gaara, except the more... sly version. Maybe Chichi was a lazy person?

"Let's go. The deadline for the finish is in three days. Stock up on ninja tools, and meet me at the front gates in less than an hour." Kokoro, who had remained completely silent, just nodded and blushed. Rena had barely noticed she was there; she was almost invisible. She seemed shy, but probably nice? Chichi left the room, making an annoyed face. Damn, who put Rena in charge? Oh, yeah, the Elders.

Rena sighed, leaving the room and closing the door shut behind her. She looked up in shock, where a silent Gaara was standing over her. He was too tall for Rena to be able to catch up to him. She was certain he'd be way taller than her in the future. Gaara remained silent, most likely waiting for Rena to say something.

"You know, if you keep doing that, I'm going to start calling you a stalker. You're getting more creepy and ominous."

"Don't trust that girl." Gaara turned, walking away from a bewildered Rena. Really, was that all?! What a jerk! Not even a 'good luck'?!

"Damn it, Gaara, you can't just walk away after saying something like that! Get back here!" Rena ran after him, grabbing his sash and pulling him backwards. He turned around, his sand helping him regain his balance. He looked surprised for only a second, but his face reverted to its normal expression. He stared her down, completely silent.

"You're so creepy, Gaara! You're sneaking up on me and saying less and less every day. Are you trying to look cooler than me? It's not gonna work!"

"No." He withdrew from her touch, walking away. Rena's eyes widened. Normally, Gaara would say more, but right now... it kind of felt like he was ignoring her. She'd never felt so lonely in her life.

Less than an hour later

Hidden Sand Entrance

Rena waved to Kankuro, Temari, Cheshire and Marionetta. This was the very first time she was going out with new teammates, so she was a little nervous; they helped. But, that was what friends were for.

"Be safe, Rena!" Kankuro grabbed her hands, pulling her close. "Come back to me in one piece!"

"Idiot, it's Gaara she'll be coming back to!" Temari made an angry face, hitting Kankuro on the head, who fell to the floor. Rena was slightly confused; she'd be coming back to everyone in one piece. Why were Temari and Kankuro making such a big deal about what words Kankuro chose to use?

"Damn, Temari! You're so cold..." He sobbed, curling up in a ball. His self-esteem was crushed. "I'll keep fighting on!" There was a windstorm raging in Kankuro's heart, a windstorm of courage and endurance!

"Rena, don't forget to eat a lot, but not so much as to receive indigestion. I'll be checking to see if you've gained weight when you come home-" Marionetta began to give Rena a series of instructions that nobody was listening to, and everyone kind of ignored her.

"Come home safe!" Cheshire grinned.

"I'm heading out! See you later!" Rena waved, walking away from the group and the still talking Marionetta.

"-Also, remember to dress warmly if it is cold at night. If it is an adequate temperature, make sure to dress firmly, but not too firmly, as to prevent overheating. If it is warm, then be sure to dress loosely. If you have a bath, make sure to check the water to prevent getting burnt-" Kankuro and Temari stared at Marionetta in disbelief; she was repeating this as if she was some sort of instructional audio-book or video. Even though Rena was already past the Hidden Sand's long, corridor-like entrance, she continued to talk as if Rena could hear her.

Rena's mind was elsewhere, however. She hadn't really been paying attention to anyone; something was worrying her. Gaara hadn't come to see her off like he normally did when she took a mission. If he had a mission, or was busy, he'd normally tell her the day before if he couldn't show up. He was very organized, and this was really unlike him.

"Is... is it true you abandoned your entire team on a mission...?" Kokoro whispered. Chichi glanced in her direction, and then rolled her eyes. Chichi hated dealing with girls like these; they were always the type who were silent for about 7 years while the guy they liked went and married some other girl. Anyways, she was the type who usually couldn't speak for herself. What the hell was the point of words if you can't speak your mind?

"Yep, what of it?" If Chichi's analysis was right, then Kokoro would back down right now.

"No....Nothing! I didn't mean anything by what I said! I'm sorry...." Kokoro looked down, unable to look at Chichi at the moment. Chichi sneered. A pathetic girl like this didn't deserve the title of kunoichi; she was hardly worthy of her Hidden Sand citizenship. Someone who thought about what others think before thinking of themselves had no place in Chichi's life.

"Then don't freaking talk to me, got it?"

Kokoro nodded frantically, blushing deeply. She was surprised that Kankuro had come to see them off; so surprised that she couldn't do anything about it. She couldn't even say hi to him... Well, he was not only the son of the late Kazekage, but also a skilled shinobi, beyond her grasp. Just thinking about him made her heart beat faster; he was extremely handsome. Someday, she'd tell Kankuro how she felt... even if she hadn't directly talked to him.

He was a kind person, and she wanted more than anything to gain the kind of courage he had. He was so brave, leading the Sand Siblings during the attack on the Leaf... at least, that was what she had heard. She'd take this chance to see how cool her rival was, and try just as hard! She'd catch up to Rena, no matter what... She'd surpass Rena!

Okoro Halfway Point

1.5 Days Away From The Border

They had finally reached Okoro, after a night of rest and a long walk. They had purposely been conserving their strength and chakra, making sure to spend energy sparingly. They'd need it for the fight ahead.

"So, the Hidden Sand has figured out where all their dead ninja go." An extremely muscled man said, crossing his arms. This could only be Tossen; there was no doubt about it.

"Yeah, and we're here to stop that. We'll give you this one chance; surrender." Rena stepped between Tossen and her team members, straightening her posture to look more intimidating.

Tossen disappeared, much to the team's surprise. Chichi raised a kunai, while Kokoro swiveled her head around hopelessly, trying to locate the enemy. Rena's eyes darted from side to side. She was trying to calculate where the enemy would attack from... or where the enemy went.

A fist went straight through Kokoro; blood splattered across Tossen's arm. He withdrew, and Kokoro fell to her knees, blood welling in her throat. She coughed, and the blood began to drip down her chin. She was losing her vision; so this was death. Her biggest regret was not being aggressive... her biggest regret was not telling Kankuro how much she appreciated him. To think, she wasted more time on being shy and trying to avoid him finding out... she gave a small laugh. He never really noticed her in the end. Did he even know her name?

Probably not.

She fell to the floor, blood coming out of the hole that went straight through her. The light in her eyes faded, and she was gone. Both Rena and Chichi stood, frozen and shocked at the sudden death of their teammate.

"The weakest link went first. Who's next?" At seeing Rena and Chichi's faces, the man laughed. "This isn't a child's game. If you think I'm going to give you a warning before I attack, then you're an idiot."

Rena's hand tightened into a fist, and she glared at Tossen, biting into her cheek. The bitter taste of blood once more filled her tastebuds, and she began to create a plan. They were in the desert, so there wasn't much of a terrain. Unless... she could lure him into a trap, perhaps with the local wildlife. The sandworms would finish him off, but... they'd also finish her. She felt helpless. She dug her fingernails into her palms, purple blood dripping from them. The sand below her feet willingly consumed it, almost hungrily. A massive headache hit her, and she winced.

Why waste what was given to you?

It's pathetic.

You're pathetic.

If a single drop spills...

You'll regret it.

The same voice filled her head; the voice of the shadow from her memories. When would things become clear?! When would she be able to piece together these... no, this was too distracting. She needed to focus on the battle before her! Piecing these memories together would be worthless if she was dead.

As she was stunned from her headache, Tossen's knee slammed into her stomach. Rena let out a bit of blood, and alike to the way Kokoro did. It dripped down from her bottom lip. However, she wasn't fast enough to counterattack. He nailed her with a left hook to the face, sending her flying across the desert's ground. While flying backwards, Rena threw three kunai, one which hit and two which missed. She didn't notice the rock coming up behind her, and her back slammed into it with a crack. Tossen continued to play around; he opened his Bingo Book, paging through it. A small smile crossed his lips.

"You're a Hikari. Quite a few people would pay a pretty penny for the likes of you."

Chichi simply watched all of this happen, leaning against the wall of the outpost. Tossen turned to her, and was aware that this person had no intention of attacking him. She didn't even look active.

"You, girl. If I pay you, mind abandoning your teammate? I'd rather not have to fight two of you; I might damage the goods. 90,000 yen. Take it or leave it... I won't hurt the girl." Tossen walked towards the Outpost, picking up a single briefcase and tossing it in Chichi's direction. Her eyes lingered at the object in her hands, and she shrugged, turning around and disappearing. She was no longer in the area.

"Chi..........chi...." Rena murmured, pain filling her entire body. Her vision blurred from pain; a drop of purple splattered onto her eye. She became aware of blood coming from her head; her body was most likely a lot more damaged than she expected. She wouldn't be surviving this unless she did something... damn it, what did training mean if this was always going to be the result of her real battles?! Was she really this useless...? What was the point in trying anymore, anyways...? Wasn't it to catch up to Gaara...? She closed her eyes, tears welling up in them.

Would you like me to help you?

When she opened her eyes in surprise, there was a cat before her. Its fur was darker than black; perhaps it was a shade of black that the human eye couldn't perceive.

You're useless to me if you die here. I also don't feel like dying today.

She reached out, touching the soft black fur of the cat. It gave a small glance towards the touch, but it looked back at her face.

I am apathetic towards your current everyday life; I don't feel joy, love, or anything. Let's go back to how it used to be. Back then was much more interesting. Back then, you made me feel something.

Back then....? Rena could never remember seeing a cat as black as this. Black feathers blurred her vision... and she saw them, black wings stretching from the back of its body. They were proudly displayed, as if it wanted her to see them. Its eyes glowed red, and Rena realized that whatever this was, it wasn't 'just a cat'.

We can do what we were born for. The reason you were cultivated, over and over. The reason you were shunned again and again. You and I are one and the same.

Rena was out of chakra; there was no way she could save herself at the moment. Was it wise to trust this thing? She attempted to gather chakra in her hand. She watched her own purple chakra fizzle to life, but it slowly went out. Hope was scarce.

Don't trust in hope. Trust in me. There's nobody else who you can trust, or ally yourself with. Let me help you.

Chakra poured into Rena's chakra network, and her body was alight with it. It was alike to a black flame, and it reminded her of death. As she stared at her hands, which were pouring with the physical version of the black chakra, she realized that a pungent odor was coming from her.

"You smell like a damn corpse already!" Tossen took a step towards her, covering his nose and mouth. "Ugh, I can almost taste it. The smell of decay... are you rotting alive or something?!"

A briefcase slammed into Tossen's face, sending him flying across the battlefield. It was infused with a good amount of chakra. Her concentration broken, the dark, negative chakra dissipated.

Damn that girl. So close...

The cat faded from her vision, as if it was never there in the first place. There weren't even paw-marks, so Rena was unsure if it was something that happened or not... but Tossen did mention the smell of decay, so it couldn't have been a dream. Rena knew that it wasn't her, but the chakra that smelled.

"What?!" Tossen glared in the direction the briefcase was thrown.

"I can't take money that was made from corpses, sorry. Also, this girl is dating a really scary Jinchuriki and I don't feel like dying. This is purely an act of self-preservation, understand? I'd rather face you than him." And it was true, Chichi would. However, her reasons for doing this were quite different than what she said. Rena watched, conserving her energy. "Look, you...!" Chichi glared at Rena. "I'm not a bad person. I'm not gonna change for you. I mean... I'd like to freaking... ugh, I want to become one of those waving god damn retards and it's all your fault, with your stupid forgiving feelings and... nevermind! Let me just kick this guy's ass!" Chichi opened a scroll, biting her finger and sliding it across the summoning signs. One kunai appeared, and she threw it. Another appeared, and she repeated her first action. Soon, this continued to the point of her throwing them so fast that he wouldn't be able to dodge. Her level of speed was amazing; Rena had never seen anything like it.

Every single kunai hit their mark; Rena realized that Chichi wasn't aiming for Tossen, but she was aiming where she predicted he would be next. She was an amazing ninja...! Chichi twirled the scroll around her with one arm, withdrawing and throwing several hundred more weapons. There wasn't a single one that Tossen dodged.

"How...?!" Tossen yelled, looking like a hedgehog whose quills were weapons.

"I'm a lot more proficient in Taijutsu and Genjutsu than I am in Ninjutsu. My specialty... well, I'm a weapons expert! I have fourteen more scrolls, 6 of which have been miniaturized for carrying capacity. Now, give up, or I'll get serious."

"You... you running was a Genjutsu?!" Tossen glared. "But... that's impossible! You never wove handsigns!"

"Well, Genjutsu is really my specialty, y'see. However, I hate using it, so despite my 'natural talent' I decided to pursue the path of a weapons expert, which I'm just as good at. I don't even need to speak to use Genjutsu, and my proficiency has gotten so unique to the point where I can cast it without weaving handsigns. I'm no joke, now give up!"

"It's impossible! Nobody can cast Genjutsu without weaving handsigns first, nobody but those with the Sharingan!"

"I don't need some stupid damn eye trick to make an illusion... all I need is the sky." Chichi grinned, and she disappeared. Rena could feel it now; the hum of a Genjutsu. Tossen put his hands together.

"Release!"

However, the hum continued as over 20 Chichi's surrounded Tossen.

 

"Release!!!" Tossen said, more forcefully now. He was getting desperate; how could one little girl fool him like this?!

"That's not going to work." All 20 Chichi's spoke in harmony. "Proficiency in Genjutsu doesn't just mean I'm only skilled in casting it without handsigns, you know. I also have the ability to keep it going as long as I have chakra!" Chichi withdrew another scroll from her bag. Well, all of the Chichis. She bit her finger, sliding it against the paper of the scroll. She grinned. "This is so damn annoying, and you are too. I'd feel better if you weren't among us anymore. Sorry, but I'm withdrawing that offer of mine... the one to, y'know, let you give up? Shoulda taken it sooner. As long as I have chakra, you're not escaping... and unluckily for you, I've only used up half of my chakra."

Shurikens popped from the scroll into every Chichi's hand, and she made two hand signs. "It's time to finish this! Secret Ninja Art: Dance of Blades!"

Rena widened her eyes. Just how insanely powerful was Chichi?! To not only hold a Genjutsu, but also to still be able to use Jutsu and pull off a summoning Jutsu at the same time...! She was way above everyone else in terms of strength! Chichi must have amazing chakra control...meanwhile, Rena was just a damn burden who couldn't save a single team member...

Chichi began spinning around and around; tools popped out fast, but were thrown faster. Hundreds... no, thousands... no, millions of tools were all aimed at Tossen! There was no way out of this. He couldn't dodge, and he didn't know which ones were real! It was over.... He was done for!

As the weapons pierced his flesh, he let out a scream. He fell to the ground.

Chichi closed her eyes, breaking off the Genjutsu. Only one remained, and she shrugged, rolling her scrolls back up. She placed them back in her pocket. She walked towards Rena; there wasn't a single scratch on her. Tossen hadn't even had the chance to hit her...! Rena was so inferior...

Chichi offered her hand, and Rena's eyes widened. Had what she said on the way here affected Chichi so much as to... as to prevent Chichi from abandoning her?

3 Hours Ago

"I forgive you." Rena and Chichi were sitting at their campfire. It was the morning, and Rena was supposed to switch out for sentry duty with Kokoro but she couldn't bring herself to wake Kokoro up. Kokoro was sleeping so peacefully, after all, making cute noises.

"...What?" Chichi raised one of her eyebrows. Rena had recently learned that Chichi's drooping eyelids were a normal, everyday thing; it gave the illusion of Chichi looking down on someone, but it was more of the way Chichi's face was designed. She couldn't change the way her eyes looked. Because of that, Rena assumed that Chichi didn't have many friends; she realized why Chichi seemed like Gaara pretty quickly. Chichi was just as lonely.

"We were both kids when it happened. Orochimaru stole me away, and he was a lot stronger, and you were probably afraid. I don't blame you." Rena stared off into the distance, her eyes viewing the past.

"I don't need your forgiveness, you know. I haven't done anything wrong." Chichi looked away from Rena, her eyes full of conflicting emotions.

"I know. However, if you want a friend, I'd be honored to be that friend. I'll wave at you when you leave the Hidden Sand, just like how my friends wave at me." Rena gave Chichi a small smile, and Chichi's face turned red. She covered her mouth, giving a fake cough. She couldn't let this... this... girl...! Ugh, it was too annoying for her to deal with!

"I don't wanna become one of those annoying waving retards, are you insane!!?" Chichi stood up, going to her sleeping bag and lying down on it. Rena stifled laughter; she was just as shy as Kokoro, but simply in a different way. Chichi definitely couldn't say what she was thinking.

However, for Chichi, there was a small smile on her face, and happy tears. She didn't know why, but her heart was overflowing with joy. Maybe becoming one of those annoying waving retards for that girl wouldn't be so bad.

Present

"Look, what you said to me..." Chichi sighed, and Rena took her hand. Chichi pulled her up. "I've abandoned most of the people I've been with. I've even seen a couple die, and I've done nothing to help them. But... Even though what I did took your entire childhood, you still kindly smiled at me and told me that you forgave me."

"Chichi...."

Chichi looked away, unable to look Rena directly in the eyes. She had done wrong, and she knew it. She wanted, more than anything, to just... be that idiot's friend. That one who kept starting fights and winning.

"I want you to show me what it means to want to protect another person. I know about all of those fights; you did it for... the fr-" Chichi stopped, realizing that Rena may not appreciate Gaara being called a freak. Even though she hated him, for Rena, she'd... relax on the names. "You did it for Gaara."

"I'll teach you anything you want to know~!" Rena gave a large smile, and Chichi backed up a step. Was this a mistake!? No, she wouldn't think like that anymore. She'd put all of her trust into Rena. However, she saw Rena's face fall.

"What... about Kokoro...? What..."

Chichi's face reverted to her normal, blank look of boredom. "She didn't make it. You saw the direct hit she took."

"... We need to bring her body back, then..."

Chichi nodded, helping Rena towards the body. Rena was in bad shape, which meant that the trek home would be their longest walk yet. However, the sun was shining; even if things were tough now, they were still changing. Chichi didn't feel alone anymore... and she wouldn't, ever again. Not if Rena could help it.

They clung to one another, using their combined strength to move forwards. Such was the bonds of the Heart of Wind; yes, the equal to the Leaf's Will of Fire. The Heart of Wind kept the shinobi of the Sand going, even when all seemed hopeless.


	11. Faster, Kitty Cat! Hurry, Dolly! Catch that Puppetmaster!

Cheshire was breathing in deep, ragged gasps; the fruit of their efforts was in front of them, the Sand Sibling everyone had been hunting for all this time. He was waving an unmentionable article of clothing over his head, presumably in an attempt to stop them from chasing him.

"I didn't do it!" Kankuro yelled, having stopped to finally catch his breath and rest his chakra. Cheshire was definitely out while Marionetta's face was the usual blank. However, she was certainly running low on chakra.

"Then why is your face on a poster all over the Hidden Sand?" Marionetta held up the poster; it seemingly came from nowhere. She had a tendency to store objects in hidden compartments and places, therefore granting her quick access when she needed them.

"Right here, it says, 'Kankuro on the loose. Return to other Sand Siblings.' Personally, I'm not gonna be the one to question this, but we gotta bring you in." Cheshire gave a half-hearted shrug and Megumi took this opportunity to come barreling out of an alley, heading straight for Kankuro. She threw three kunai, and they hit their mark; Kankuro's face.

"I'm going to prove that I am the greater kunoichi by catching you!" Megumi was obviously still comparing herself to Temari, who seemed to not care.... wherever she was at the moment. Sand began to fall from Kankuro's face, and Megumi's eyes widened. "Crap, it's crow!" She quickly dodged the puppet's lethal poison shuriken. "Damn it all, Echo! Do it now!"

Echo shot out of the shadows, making three hand signs. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!" A wall erupted from the ground, and the poisonous shuriken didn't stand a chance. When metal met dirt, nothing really happened.

"Fire Style: Pheonix Flower Jutsu!" Ashie enveloped Crow in flames, watching as the puppet burned. However, this was enough for Kankuro to make a quick getaway and Crow to be extinguished by his anti-flame protection ward.

"Damn it all, Echo, Ashie! We're a team, we should be able to handle this!" Megumi yelled, stamping her foot on the ground. Echo let out a small nervous laugh, while Ashie simply rocked back and forth on her heels and whistled.

"It's a good thing Rena is away on a mission! If she found out I snuck into her room and borrowed something before she left, I'd totally be dead meat...!" Kankuro remembered the time Sansa backhanded Baki in front of them. If the student was like the teacher, but the student was also the daughter and the teacher was the mother... Kankuro shivered. He didn't want to think of how much pain Rena would cause him. "If Gaara gets serious, I'm screwed!"

Kankuro headed towards the entrance of the Hidden Sand. He'd hide out around there for a while; they wouldn't expect him in such an open place.

"Kankuro, give up now."

Kankuro stopped, looking behind him with extreme hesitation. Gaara was standing right there, and sand began rushing in from all angles, including above. There was only one was to go, and that was towards the entrance.

"You can't escape us, you idiot." Temari came from the shadows of the entrance, swinging her fan at him. A gust of wind hit the Black Ant, snapping his chakra strings. He was cornered.

Ashie, Megumi, and Echo appeared, as well. Cheshire and Marionetta were side by side. Gaara let the sand drop, as Kankuro now had nowhere to run. He was definitely cornered.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Everyone turned to the sound of the voice, which was extremely familiar.

"It's an extreme battle-" Temari stopped speaking, from shock. Purple blood covered Rena's face, and she had a black eye. Purple, black and blue blotches signified bruises; they were everywhere. Her hair was matted, and covered in dirt. Chichi had only a slight amount of dirt on her, and the blood, by color, was obviously not her own. What shocked Temari most, however, was the lifeless eyes of Kokoro, who Chichi was carrying while supporting Rena.

"I couldn't... he came out of nowhere..." Rena murmured, sadly. Chichi recognized a look of depression in her eyes.

Rena let go of Chichi, dropping to the floor. However, Gaara had caught her with the sand below. He had been softening it with his own, as he'd expected her to collapse with the way she looked. He was fraught with worry. Who did this?! Were they still alive?! They wouldn't be soon enough.

Chichi dropped to her knees, exhaustion taking its toll. Neither of them had rested or slept, and their strength was waning. It had taken about 9 hours to return to the Hidden Sand. ANBU surrounded them, the Sand Black Ops. Sansa's clear form was viewable; however, she wore the mask of a demonic-looking ogre.

She began giving direct orders, not wasting time. "Nageki, take the body to the medical ninjas and have them determine the cause of death and time. Allow them to write a report. I'll take Rena Hikari and Chichi and have them treated, right away. Kankuro, head to the hospital and receive medicine and painkillers. Marionetta, make sure to go with him. You know which ones would be best. Temari, take Cheshire and have him report to the Elders the result of this mission; his photographic memory and your influence should be enough. Gaara, come with me. I need you to carry Rena. Rookies, disperse."

The rookies were left standing in the dust, as every ninja disappeared to carry out their orders. Megumi then began to yell. "What the hell are we, chopped raw liver served with rice?! I have a greater influence then my rival Temari, I'm sure I do!"

Echo gave a halfhearted shrug. "Sure, sure. You totally are better than the child of the late Kazekage, who not only subdued her brother, but did it without actually hitting him."

"Damn you, Echo!" Megumi yelled, furious.

"Hey, hey! Don't fight! I'm sure that whatshername is totally okay with whatever influence she's given." Ashie waved their argument off, and both Echo and Megumi stared at her in disbelief.

"Your brother is clear-minded, but you're absentminded as hell...! Can't we just have him instead...?"

"He's already with three insufferable males. Please be kind to him." Echo bowed his head, sadly. Ah, what a shame for Kane and Tsuga to be stuck with Nami. They really drew the short stick."

"Despite Tsuga's harsh words, he'd still be a valuable teammate."

"Teehee! Are you saying something about me, or are you both just being idiotic with conversation?" Tsuga was right behind Megumi and Echo; they both jumped, having not realized he was here.

"Damn, is that a family ability or what? Why can't people detect you unless you speak?!" Echo yelled, having been surprised.

"No, it's not an ability at all. In fact, I just think you're stupid." Tsuga gave a wide smile; Megumi wanted to punch him in the face, but Tsuga was the top student in the academy. He passed with perfect marks.

As Echo argued with Tsuga, Megumi's mind wandered to Temari. Why would the head of the ANBU Black Ops ask her to go instead of Megumi? Megumi was just as capable as Temari. Then again, the fact that Temari was the daughter of the late Kazekage also came into play. Damn it, why were people still sucking up to them?! Didn't they understand that the Kazekage was dead, and that being nice to his kids won't get them promoted any higher?

Megumi bit her lip. Just because she wasn't born in a privileged family, people didn't take her seriously. They even laughed when she applied for the Academy. She made them stop laughing when they saw her potential, though.

Even now, the Hidden Sand didn't take her seriously. If she said that she wanted to become Kazekage, they'd only laugh. Kazekage was a blood-born trait; Temari was definitely the next in line, despite Gaara saying he wanted the position. Nobody would ever consider Megumi. Her fists tightened. The stupid Suna Family. Always getting in the way with their higher privilege.


	12. Recovery and a Funeral

Gaara sat beside Rena, lightly sponging her wounds. They were almost fully healed, but he wanted to keep them clean. The bruises were nothing more than small yellow blotches now, almost fully healed. Gaara hated the texture of water, and water in general. He always felt heavy after bathing, so he tried to postpone it to the point of only cleaning himself once every two or three days.

Rena had been in a comatose state for about four days; there was a good chance she'd be comatose for about three more. "Idiot," Gaara said, knowing that Rena wouldn't hear him. He kind of wished she would, so she would wake up already and yell at him. He missed her yelling; and to think, six days ago was his last chance to talk to her. He instead ignored her, and shunned her. He'd never do so again... he just wanted her to wake up. She was always so reckless, pushing herself so hard, trying to get as strong as she was...

Gaara walked to Rena's bathroom, taking three rolls of bandages from the medical cabinet above the sink. He walked back out, staring at her peaceful, undisturbed face. He began to wrap bandages around her bruises and wounds, wincing as she made pained faces when he touched more sensitive spots. "You shouldn't be taking missions you know you can't handle." He got up, moving back to the bathroom and collecting her hairbrush. He began to brush the tangles out of her hair, taking the blood out with a cloth while doing so. "I'll take care of you, so sleep. You've been through quite a bit." He continued to talk to her as if she were awake. It was a lonely scene.

He covered her with a blanket after he was finished; her hair was completely straight. It looked different, hell of a lot different. She looked more like a beautiful daughter from a clan or a family, an heir that was usually married off. It surprised him, but Rena's face and body did seem to be built for the life of a noble rather than a ninja. Gaara was surprised she wasn't already being married off by Sansa, but then again, Sansa wouldn't stand for that kind of thing. In fact, he thought that Sansa would be against it.

Marionetta and Kankuro entered the room, another batch of medicine in their arms. They had been burning through it. "Is Rena okay still? No chan- woah, what happened to her hair?! She looks like a noble!" Kankuro rushed to her side, dropping to his knees in near shock.

"...Yeah." Gaara looked away, becoming as anti-social as possible. He was still beating himself up about not talking to her before she left. He hated how stubborn he had been. Sansa entered the room, carrying a sandwich that she had made. She handed it to him.

"For your help."

"Can I stay until she wakes? I think it's a good idea to keep an eye on her." His expression was emotionless, and he hoped Sansa would say yes.

"I think it's a great idea, actually! I honestly can't be around 24/7 to look after this brat. The Sand ANBU needs me a lot more around now because of the huge amount of shinobi going rogue. I'll probably be gone all week." Sansa placed a hand on her hip, her face contorting with worry. "If someone really wasn't staying here to take care of her, I think that I'd go berserk. However, since it's you, I'll be fine."

"Hey, wait! Why not me?" Kankuro almost tripped over his feet; he wanted to get some alone time in with Rena, too! This was extremely unfair!

"You're a pervert." Sansa replied, blankly.

"I am not!" Kankuro insisted, growling. He was serious this time... Rena was hurt, and he wanted to help too. At this point, his infatuation was worry. He wasn't a douchebag. Meanwhile, a small beetle crawled near his feet... and Kankuro let out a scream. "No! No, not the bugs! No!" He dashed out of the room, leaving Sansa and Gaara confused.

"I have things dealt with here." Gaara said, turning to Sansa. She nodded.

"I understand." Cheshire left to go to his room; he had training to do, while Sansa paused. She stood in the doorframe, wondering how she could irk Gaara. He was always an enjoyable irk. "Oh, and Gaara?"

"....?" His turquoise eyes darted towards her. As expected of him; he showed his confusion in his eye movement, rather than his bodily movement.

"Since she can't drink things by herself, you'll have to administer the medicine.... Mouth-to-mouth." Sansa winked, and Gaara gasped, his mouth hanging slightly open. Of course he wouldn't have expected Sansa to say something like that to a 13-year old boy about her own daughter! What the hell kind of mother would say something like that?

Sansa really was a special case.

She quickly left the room, as to avoid whatever happened next. Gaara sighed; he knew he'd have to change and clean Rena, almost every day. This would be an extreme burden on him, especially due to the fact he couldn't just train while taking care of her. Admittedly, he didn't mind... but she needed to stop being so reckless. He'd lecture her when she woke up.

Gaara opened Rena's dresser, collecting a set of neatly folded clothes. This didn't seem to be Rena's style, which meant that these clothes were most likely prepared by Sansa. Gaara began to remove Rena's shirt, and managed to get it off entirely. His attention was caught by the glint of silver; around her neck, the rose he had bought her in the Hidden Leaf months ago was still there.

He took the small rose in his hand, twisting it around and looking at it with extreme curiosity. What was the point of being attached to a physical item? The fact she still wore it meant that she must treasure it; there wasn't a single scratch on the thing. "Does this mean a lot to you?" He murmured, fully aware he wouldn't receive a response from her.

He got up, heading to the kitchen. It was near time for dinner; Marionetta and Cheshire were out training, and they'd no doubt want food upon their return. He'd been practicing cooking in secret, due to Rena's interests in food. He had become adept at such a skill. Rena wanted sweets all the time, but the Hidden Sand didn't have many people with a sweet tooth. He had been practicing between training and daily activities, and his insomnia helped. He mostly used his nights awake to train, but sometimes, he'd cook instead.

He began to boil water, then slowly walked back up the stairs of sand. The house that Sansa had bought was pretty big, but alike to every other house in the Hidden Sand, it was made of sand. Gaara had been asked to make rooms slightly bigger because of the addition of Marionetta and Cheshire.

He sat on Rena's bed, beside her sleeping self. "Nnngh..." She shivered in pain. It was a sign that the effects of the medicine were wearing off, and quite quickly, at that. Gaara lay down beside her, ever so calmly. He rested his head on her shoulder, wrapping his arm around her body.

He was so tired, and he needed sleep... he'd deal with dinner late...r...

3 Days Later, Just Past The Border of the Land of Wind

Sansa ripped through the trees, not stopping for anyone or anything. "Izume, Tanako, to the right. I'll cut him off from the left, and Izume will pretend to get hit. Tanako will hide her presence and strike when his guard is down; his guard will be diminished if he figures that Izume is down. Then, he will turn on me."

Izume and Tanako shot off to the right, doing exactly as Sansa had instructed them to do. Their lives were in her hands. As she had predicted before entering the battle, the enemy was going for Izume and avoiding her. Sansa threw a single shuriken, which Izume stopped with her chakra; however, Izume fell to the ground, pretending to be hit. The rogue shinobi smirked, turning on Sansa; his guard was lower than before! Sansa knew that at this moment, the shinobi had fallen for her trap.

"You're dead, Demon Tactician of the Sand! Your title is nothing more than a joke!" The enemy lunged towards Sansa, and she gave him a smile, which staggered him for a moment. His confusion was clear. Tanako dropped from the trees, slicing his throat open. The shinobi fell to the floor.

Tanako had a special skill; it seemed that this had been passed on to her children, as well. Unless she spoke, she was literally undetectable.

"Izume, Tanako, this was the twenty-third shinobi we were supposed to hunt. There's fourteen more; we should carry out this tactic on the next one, as well. It seems to be a good one."

"It's only because you're the one who thought it up, Sansa. Without you, we'd have a hellhole of causalities on our side." Izume grinned. Her hair was pulled back in a tight pony-tail; it was grey. She had war-paint on, colored purple. "They can't beat our best tactician."

"Someday, my daughter will be greater than I and fight beside the next Kazekage as the best Tactician the Sand's ever seen." Sansa began to search the body, retrieving a couple of shuriken to replace the ones she had been throwing.

"That little runt? My Echo would be able to devise a better plan than she could." Izume was filled with boisterous laughter; it seemed like this was a legendary 'Mother's Rivalry'.

"Pft. Ashie and Tsuga would be able to do better; Rena never takes anything seriously. Sansa, are you sure you aren't wasting your time?" Tanako fixed the headband on her forehead, and let her shoulder-length hair fall behind her shoulders. It was the color of the sun.

"She may be a weak idiot right now, but someday, that kill will shock us all. Then, and only then, will I let go of my title." Sansa smirked. Rena had the capacity to become greater than her true mother, the Blood Queen. There were hidden powers inside Rena that she had once commanded and taken out an entire army with; her potential was no joke. Of course, she was only 14 now. She had done that at 9 years old, but truthfully, she had been trained to stand and walk before turning 3.

The way she had been trained and invincible in the Hikari Clan was simple; they used suffering as a means to get stronger, and had no attachments to anything except for their Clan Head. It's safe to say the Hikari Clan was nothing more than an army with a general who led them. The difficult training regiment was not something Sansa would ever put Rena through ever again; it broke her the first time, making her purpose nothing but getting stronger and being a killing machine.

Manipulated by the Blood Queen, forced to act on her every whim.

"Really, who says you'll live until retirement?" Izume laughed, throwing her head back. Sansa pushed Izume playfully, making sure not to be too forceful.

"Sssh, you! As long as there's something to fight for, I'll always keep fighting. After all; I have a village, a daughter, a husband and two new additions to our family to look after. As long as Rena needs me, I'll stay alive, no matter what...!"

"Gah, you guys haven't even done anything to make you qualify as a family, right? You'd better hurry up and have some family time. Anyways, there's a matter I'm curious about. That kid, Chichi, and the deceased child too...I thought for sure that Chichi would turn tail and run, but it seems like she didn't. She'd have come back before Rena and the girl, anyways. The poor kid... maybe Chichi has finally learned her lesson, now that she's witnessed death." Tanako had good observational skills, but they came with a price; she was extremely judgmental, and usually jumped the gun. She acted before she thought, which made her observations useless.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Sansa waggled a finger at Tanako. "You can't see the forest for the trees."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Tanako growled. "And you're just saying bullshit to make yourself look cooler than me!"

"U...urk!" Sansa's cool demeanor was attacked by Tanako, but she regained her self-esteem quickly. "Look, Chichi's parents abandoned her when she was a child. She has extreme issues with trusting other people, but... I've seen her during her training. She is far above the level of a Genin, and there is no doubt she always will be. She could become the Kazekage tomorrow, if she dared to. She's a prodigy. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that fight she reported wasn't all she could do. She may already have surpassed both you and me, making her more skilled than a Jonin." Sansa's eyes softened, thinking of the child who had nobody. "She just wasn't brought up correctly. However, I doubt that she'd be willing to lend her abilities to the Hidden Sand. She has a lack of motivation that she just refuses to shake."

Izume turned to Sansa, with a quick, jerky movement. "Hell, at the moment, we need a Kazekage! Why haven't you proposed this to the Elders yet? Surely they would listen to you!"

"Because as we all know, Kazekage is not a title to be taken lightly. All shinobi of the Hidden Sand would go rogue if we put a 14-year-old in charge tomorrow." Sansa rolled her eyes; they already had enough problems as it was, and the superiority complex of those with age wasn't something easily shaken.

Tanako nodded in agreement. "No offence, you two, but I'd betray the Hidden Sand in a heartbeat with a fourteen year old as Kazekage. It's just not correct; the title of Kazekage can't just be earned by being a prodigy."

"Well, we still need a new damn Kazekage. We can't just stay like this...!" Izume slumped over in a frustrated pose. Sansa didn't respond to either of them, as heavy words were weighing on her mind.

"Honestly, she's right, Sansa. We can't wait forever for a Kazekage. The Elders certainly can't be a stand-in for this long; more shinobi will abandon the village. We barely have enough food or funding to get by, and at this point, the entire village will be wiped out."

"They offered me a position as the Fifth Kazekage." Sansa said, much to the shock of Tanako and Izume. It was a great honor to be selected by the Elders for such a position...!

"Honestly, I'm not really surprised. You're an amazing tactician, and one hell of a kunoichi." Izume put a hand on Sansa's shoulder. "Congratulations!"

Sansa shook her head, her expression one of self-torment. "I don't think I can accept. I have Rena and Baki now, and the Sand Black Ops need me more than ever out on the field to minimize all causalities." Sansa knew having a Kazekage was vital to the Hidden Sand, but she wasn't sure she would be able to put her duties before her family, like the Fourth. Not only that, but there were also several threats outside of the Hidden Sand she needed to take care of.

"Then become a stand-in."

"What?" Sansa looked at Tanako, who had a completely straight face. What... how could she suggest something like that so calmly?

"You're the best tactician the Hidden Sand has ever had. Honestly, juggling being a parent, a leader of the village, and being the leader of the Sand ANBU, well, it should be easy for you. Just tell them you need to be out in the field most of the time. Also, I'm sure The Nightmare would easily take on all of your ANBU duties."

"Look, I appreciate your suggestion, but they won't let me step outside of the Hidden Sand if I accept. Besides, the Elders are extremely harsh; their first order of recommendation would be to assassinate my daughter's boyfriend. Tell me, how would that go down? 'Oh, hey, Rena, I'm sorry! I totally just assassinated your boyfriend, my bad. An accident! Slip of the hand, y'know? My kunai fell into his eye socket.' Yeah, I'd win the 'mother of the year' award for that." Sansa rolled her eyes. If she did go through with it, the majority would want Gaara dead. Everyone feared him. If she didn't kill him, a coup d'ait would be waiting for her. "I mean, it could help Rena at this point, but... I don't want to lose her, ever again..."

Sansa began to move ahead, her teammates following in silence. She was glad they understood that she wanted to think deeply on the subject at the moment. Should she take the job? Even if it meant protecting Rena, it would also mean... attacking Gaara. Would she even be able to kill Gaara?

2 Days Later

Rena blinked awake, her sleep broken by the sun filtering in through the window in the sand wall. She placed her feet on the floor; it was the cold clay that made her shiver. It felt like she had been asleep for a very long time, as if she had been paralyzed.

In the corner of her room, Gaara slept in a chair. It seemed like he was peaceful, and she couldn't bring herself to wake him up. After all, he rarely slept. She tiptoed past him, making sure not to trip over his gourd.

She snuck down the stairs, into the kitchen. It was pretty clean; Cheshire hated cleaning, and Marionetta destroyed things to clean them. Sansa didn't want to clean, while Baki... eh, he rarely came home during the past few weeks...? Rena opened the fridge, but it was nearly cleared out.

With ulterior motives, Rena left her house.

In the chair, Gaara yawned, and stretched. How long could he have possibly slept, without a nightmare? He looked towards Rena's bed, prepared to feed her.... But she wasn't there.

He paused for a moment, and then stood from the chair, panicking. Where the hell had she gone?! Did someone take her?!

He grabbed his gourd and dashed out of the room.

Mirage Way

Rena walked through an alley, completely lost. She knew that Chichi lived near here; she had asked a couple playing children, and they had been more than glad to point her in the direction of 13 Mirage Way.

Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara were combing the city; Gaara with his third eye in all the back alleys, Temari from above, and Kankuro on all the main streets. Little did Temari know, she was the closest to Rena; 2 streets away, unfortunately. Temari passed over the alley Rena was walking in, her eyes moving over the area. However, Rena was wearing a cloak to prevent sand from getting in her eyes. The sandstorm was finally dying down, so she pulled the hood back.

Temari had already passed over the alley, so it was bad timing. Rena had finally reached her destination; the house was squeezed in between two bigger houses. It was much smaller, and it seemed to be meant for two people only. Rena raised her hand to the door, and knocked firmly three times.

The door slowly swung open to reveal the face of Chichi. She was dressed in bandages, and it seemed like she was still getting dressed. It seemed like she had just woken up, despite the fact it was definitely past noon. Rena wondered if Chichi ever trained.

"It's you. Get lost, moron. I'm sleeping." Chichi began to close the door, but Rena put a foot in between the doorframe and the door, leaving a small gap. Chichi turned back to her, giving a menacing glare.

"If I come back with an injured animal or something, would you let me in?"

"I'm a weapons expert, not a fucking veterinarian! Damn it, where do you get the idea that I'd let you in if you did find an injured animal?! I hate animals! ...Ugh, if you're just gonna come back I might as well let you in now, just to shut you up." Chichi slightly opened the door, just enough for Rena to slip in. "Damn it, this is so annoying." She closed the door, and it was at that moment that Kankuro decided to pass by while looking for Rena. He didn't see her, and managed to get back on one of the main roads.

Rena sat down awkwardly on Chichi's couch, staring at the coffee table with her hands in her lap. Chichi sat across from her, crossing her legs and arms. They sat in silence for a while. Rena opened her mouth to say something, but it was lost to the recesses of her mind as she forgot what she was going to say.

"Damn it, if you have something to say, say it already!" Chichi yelled, standing up and kicking the coffee table at Rena. Chichi's yell triggered Rena's memory, and Rena kicked the coffee table, causing it to break in half.

"I...thank you!" Rena yelled back, her moment of shock finally passing. Chichi burst out into laughter, pointing at Rena and wheezing at the same time.

"Thank you for what, watching you get your ass kicked?! Did you really come all the way here for that?!"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't have gotten my ass kicked if you'd worked with me and not ran away like a coward at first!"

Chichi and Rena's foreheads slammed against each other, challenge in their eyes.

"Oh, yeah? So, I'm a coward, huh? Well you're a fucking idiot then! You should've dodged his first attack!"

"You're the one who didn't attack first, coward!"

"You're the one who didn't dodge, idiot!"

Both burst into fits of laughter; neither had ever felt an emotion like this. Despite all of their insults, they still appreciated one another's presence.

"Hey. You can't back out on this now, got it?! You're my best damn friend, okay? You don't have a choice! You have to take responsibility." Chichi gave a smirk in Rena's direction. She may not be able to be direct with her emotions, but like this, baring it all, at least Rena wouldn't get confused. She was the type who wouldn't be able to see a tree, even after she walked into it! As far as Chichi was concerned, she had to protect Rena from walking into trees.

"Are you joking? Me, back out? That's not my style. Or maybe... you're afraid that it's gonna be you backing out, so you're lecturing me, but in reality you're really lecturing you!"

"Hey, hey! Stop being so confusing and be straightforwards!"

"That is straightforwards!"

"Damn, you're so annoying!"

Sand burst in through the front door, flowing around the entire house. Chichi and Rena held their kunai at the ready, prepared to take on whoever was attacking. It was their surprise when Gaara stepped through the door, an extremely scary look on his face.

"Do you want to handle this, my best friend? You're much smarter than me when it comes to these things." Chichi asked, pushing Rena towards Gaara.

"No, no! You're courageous. You should handle this!" Rena hid behind Chichi, pushing her towards Gaara. "You're also stronger than me!"

"I insist, you first! You can have all the glory!"

"I don't want the glory."

"Take the damn glory already!" Chichi yelled, pushing Rena towards Gaara. The terrifying look on his face was one that made her want to run away; she could tell Gaara was extremely angry.

"When you leave the house..." Sand wrapped around both Chichi and Rena, making movement impossible. "You should really tell someone, to prevent misunderstandings."

Rena attempted to struggle, but it was impossible. Chichi was useless in this situation; her scrolls were in places she couldn't reach, and it's not like she could attack the sand anyways.

Gaara's hands moved to his ear, where an earpiece was blinking green.

"I found her. Mirage Way." Gaara turned, and began to walk out of the door, Chichi and Rena hopelessly floating behind him. "We'll regroup back at Sansa's. They'll be more than pleased to co-operate with cleaning the entire house."

Both Chichi and Rena began to struggle even more, even resorting to screaming. However, it was clear that Gaara would not let them go. Cleaning; the ultimate punishment.

~ A Day Later ~

Rena and Gaara walked along the road; it was completely empty. They were both dressed in black, ready to attend the funeral. Rena's presence was mandatory, as her teammate's death was her fault. Gaara would attend every funeral in the future; it was the will of the future Kazekage to be there for his people.

They finally reached the meet-up point; Kankuro, Chichi, Temari, Marionetta and Cheshire were waiting. Cheshire was clinging to Temari, in a format of cuddles. Temari didn't look like she minded; it was hard to discern the relationship between the two.

"Hey, you're totally gonna be late!" Cheshire let go of Temari, and she almost tipped over. It seemed like Cheshire had been clinging for a while, and Temari felt off-balance without him. It was a coincidence, but her fan's weight and Cheshire's weight were the exact same. Therefore, when Cheshire clung to Temari, it simply reminded her of her fan.

"There's no way that's an appropriate mood for a funeral!" Temari said, harshly. Cheshire yelped, hiding behind a very beat-up Kankuro. He stepped out of the way, not feeling like getting in the way. Chichi stared at Cheshire, confusion crossing her mind. She had never actually been to a funeral before, so she didn't know how to act.

"Y...Yay...! A funeral...."

So, she copied Cheshire, in an act to fit in with Rena's friends.

"That's even worse!"

"Funeral. I shall be enthusiastic." Marionetta had copied both Cheshire and Chichi, but it came out extremely differently.

"That's a hell of a lot worse than the others, damn it!" Temari's glare caused all three to shrink back, afraid of her wrath. She was firey; there was no way they could compare to her explosive personality.

"You should stop copying each other and just be yourself. You guys are perfectly fine the way you are." Everyone turned to Rena, who gave them all a small smile; she was sad, but they had cheered her up wonderfully.

"Rena..." Chichi turned to her, and it caught Rena's attention entirely. It was like there was nobody else in the world; it was a scene you'd expect from Rock Lee and Might Gai. "You're an idiot." Chichi began to walk towards the direction of the funeral, and Rena's fantasy shattered.

"Guuu...ahk!" It was super-effective. Everyone walked past her, not wanting to get caught up in her failure. However, Gaara offered her his hand. She looked up, and gave another one of her smiles. "Hi."

"...Hey."

"Gaara?"

"Yes?"

"Are you still mad?"

"No."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to be mad at me later on?"

"I don't know."

"Do you still feel lonely?"

She took his hand, and he pulled her up. She began to walk forwards, her hand almost slipping out of his grasp. He grabbed on, tightly, and looked into her eyes. "No."

She gave him a wonderful smile that could rival the beauty of the sun, and he led her towards the funeral, and their future.


	13. The Snake's Deal!

Rena flexed her hands, stretching them as the doctor had designated. "I'm fine, Sansa. There's no need to start freaking out."

"Freaking out?! Who the hell is freaking out, punk!?" Sansa nailed Rena in the face, causing her to fly into a wall. Rena slid down the wall, half-knocked out.

"She seems fine, other than the punch you just threw. Tell me, was that infused with your chakra, or is that just your terrifying strength that I've heard of?" Inoui began to pack up her tools, making sure to neatly place them beside one another gently. Sansa gave Inoui a strange look, then looked at her hands.

"I didn't use any chakra, and I barely hit her. It's not like I did any damage." She shrugged, turning away.

"Rena, are you feeling any pain in your face?"

"Unnnngh."

"She's fine." Sansa walked over to Rena and kicked her leg. Another pained groan.

"I guess so. Anyways, call me if she's injured again. Without her, I wouldn't be able to make a living." Inoui waved, leaving the house behind. Yes, without Inoui, Rena would definitely have suffered a lot more than normal.

Rena sat up, rubbing her face. "I'll really be fine, Sansa. It's not even that important of a mission!"

"Even if it may be border patrol, you should still take it seriously. And you're wrong about it being unimportant; it's an extreme asset. Because of border patrol, the Hidden Sand has stopped 97% of all outlaws." Sansa was extremely displeased with Rena's disregard of her mission; every mission was important, especially because they defined the future of the Hidden Sand.

"Yeah, but apparently Chichi is going too! I don't know who the third member is, but there's a chance it'll be Temari or something. Apparently she has a few days off from the Regular Troops because she's been climbing up the ranks like wildfire. Gaara's position has also headed upwards, even if it's four times smaller than the rest. Kankuro has even been promoted!"

"And you're still a lowly genin with no promotion in the Regular Troops because you aren't worthy."

"Ouch."

"You need to become stronger, Rena." Sansa crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow and leaning against the wall of sand. "You also need to start working four times harder, and taking things more seriously."

"I know, damn it. I'm not stupid!"

"Well, you seem to be. Why is it that even Gaara can rise in rank, when people are scared of him, and yet you can't even rise up once?" Sansa put a hand on her hip. "This is my final judgment; you are an E Rank Ninja! You'll never be stronger than Gaara, or anyone else, for that matter!"

"N....No!" Rena said, reaching out towards Sansa. However, she was not about to console Rena; this was her way of helping Rena rise. She knew that Rena would simply fade into the background while Gaara got stronger, and live an incomplete life because of it. This was not Sansa speaking as a mother. No, it was as their relationship should be; a teacher talking to a student. Rena would never progress forwards without this, and Sansa knew that she needed to push harder than before. Sansa would not apologize for this.

However, Rena saw it quite differently. Why was Sansa being like this? Did she even care...?!

"Rena." A voice came from the direction of the doorway, and Rena turned to it. She was feeling pissed off about Sansa's judgment. Sansa's words repeated over and over in her head, drowning out her rational thought.

You'll never be stronger than Gaara, or anyone else, for that matter!

Rena's palms became fists, and she could feel the pain of her nails digging into her palms. Was she really so hopeless? There was a chill through her that she couldn't explain... was this jealousy? Was she jealous of Gaara?

"We're going to be late," Gaara said, walking towards Sansa and Rena. He could sense the tension in the room, and he figured it would be better to get both of them out of whatever situation they had gotten themselves into by separating them.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Rena murmured, her normal personality dull. She had lost the shine in her eyes and voice; she even seemed a little dead on the inside.

Sansa's expression softened; maybe she had truly taken it too far. She reached out to Rena, but Rena had already turned her back on Sansa. Sansa's arm dropped to her side, and she let Rena and Gaara walk out of the room. Even if she was the leader of the Sand ANBU, she was still only human, and she had flaws.

She couldn't comfort her child. Her child wasn't even hers. She had even gone so far as to lose her for so many years, only for her to return grown up... Sansa wasn't ready for this. She hadn't even had the time to be a mother, let alone learn much about Rena at this point.

She couldn't comfort Rena, and it was killing her.

She hung her head, and tears dripped from her eyes. Why was she so damn weak...? Why couldn't she be strong?

"Gaara...?" Rena began, turning to the brown-haired boy who walked beside her. His turquoise orbs flicked to her, but he continued walking forwards. This meant all of his attention was on her. "I..." Rena stopped, and Gaara came to a slow halt as well. He turned to her, confused. Why was she acting like this? For sure, the tension was intense, but it shouldn't spur a reaction like this.

"Is there something wrong?"

Rena gasped, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. What she wanted to say was impossible. She couldn't even form the words; it was a new kind of suffering. The pain in her heart was so deep that it filled her with a sense of anguish. She wanted to tell him she loved him, but something was stopping her, holding her back. Why couldn't she say it?

It had been so easy before, but now... those words made her almost sick.

Do you really think love is all that easy?

The voice filled her head once more, and she shook it vigorously to get it away. She didn't want to hear it, even if it was speaking the truth. Gaara was now more curious than ever; Rena seemed to be fighting an internal battle, as he once had.

It's really not, darling. Love is a sickness; it's a contagious type of suffering. When you make a concoction, what do you place inside it? Two deciding factors, yes, but what if you put in a third factor? Assume that the two deciding factors are two people. Now, assume that the third factor is love. These three factors make a unique reaction called suffering, something you will soon find to be quite frequent.

Rena forcefully drowned the voice out of her head, but it seemed persistent. However, the darkness seemed to fade willfully, as if it didn't want to push to get inside her head.

"Are you alright?" Gaara walked towards her and extended his hand towards her. She shivered; if that hand touched her, she'd definitely break apart. She slapped it away, much to Gaara's surprise. His face was only filled with emotion for a minute; the emotion of hurt and confusion. "I will not touch you without permission again."

He turned on his heel, not waiting for Rena to follow.

Rena knew she had hurt Gaara, maybe even so much as to deter him from talking to her for a while.

She walked in his footsteps, and both of them felt lonely.

~ Hidden Sand's Entrance ~

Rena had stopped by the weapons' store to load up on ninja tools; it was probably a good call, as she was once more running low from training. Chichi probably definitely had to stock up, as the last fight might have consumed her entire arsenal. Chichi really must be loaded, then.

Being a weapons' expert seemed to be expensive.

Chichi walked towards her, scrolls attached to her leg with straps. It seemed like she had changed the position of her scrolls since the last fight, making them more acquirable if Gaara were to surround her with his sand. Her other leg mirrored her idea; she also had a strap with a single scroll on each of her arms. Chichi's face had a blank, bored look on it.

"Chichi!" Rena happily waved to her, giving her a genuine smile. Chichi's hairstyle was the same as usual; pulled back in the middle, the side of her hair hugging her face while coming down in a sort of spiky medium-not-yet shoulder length type of style.

"Shut up," Chichi muttered, sliding her hands into her pockets. "You're so damn annoying at this time."

"It's good to see you too, Chichi." Rena's smile caused Chichi to turn away, unable to handle the types of emotion Rena had to offer. Why was it that Rena always knew how to connect to another person, how to break apart their walls without restrictions? Chichi would have to study this more.

"...Hey...!" Chichi turned to Rena, meaning to ask her about it.

It seems you do not yet understand.

The voice invaded once more, a blade of darkness cutting through light. Rena hadn't invited it; she wasn't even thinking about it. She willed it to leave, but its presence remained; until it got what it came for, it would not leave.

They were all murdered; they were all removed. An unknown clan and your brother... working together. Hey, don't you know? You're not allowed to be loved.

She willed the voice to shut up, but instead, she received a wave of nostalgia.

I'll show you the reason why you cannot be loved.

~ Flashback ~

Rena dashed through the fields filled with black smoke, fire surrounding her. The smoke filled her lungs, causing her to spasm into coughs; she fell to the floor, coughing violently. Her pursuer had finally caught up to her, his eyes flaring red in the surrounding smoke.

"I found it quite strange you never looked a day over 16."

Rena stood to her feet, turning to face her brother in his full glory. He held a weapon in his hand; a familiar shape, but the name of the weapon could not come to her mind, no matter how much she tried to think of it.

"Big... big brother, what's going on?" Rena asked, truly terrified. She knew what was going on, but she didn't understand why it was happening. His glare pierced her soul; he looked at her with complete disgust.

"The Hikari Clan is filled with monsters and illusionists; you can somehow stop your aging process. I have no doubts you've seen at least thirty more years than I have." Her brother's ragged black hair blew in the wind, and his eyes narrowed. The Sharingan appeared in his eyes, and Rena felt it; the sheer amount of killing intent coming from her brother.

The flames raged on in the battlefield, screams of agony in the distance. Rena knew that it was definitely the sounds of people dying, as she had heard so many times before.

"Madara...why are you..." Tears dripped from Rena's eyes, and Madara's glare was finally reaching the point where it affected her. "What's happening back at the village? In the main house?!"

"Mother is dead."

Her heart beat slowed, almost stopping entirely. Her mother was...dead...? Even though her mother hadn't been the kindest, even if she was... filled with a certain darkness, Rena still needed her. Besides, her mother was the leader of their clan. "What...do you..."

"You are the very last one, monster. The very last of your clan, the Hikari clan." Madara took a step forwards, and Rena fell to the floor, backward. She began scrambling through the dirt to get away from him, but she did not turn her back on him. That would be the death of her. The flames were reflected in her eyes, but in Madara's, they burned even more fiercely.

"Brother...what have you done?!"

"Do not dare call me by that term! You were never considered an Uchiha. You were always an outsider. You will not be remembered; you will not be included in our history. All you will ever be is a worthless failure of an experiment with darkness; An unloved abomination, the child of bloodshed and sacrificial rites. I am here to put an end to Project Light and Project Shadow!"

"No... but...I.." Rena grabbed her head, clutching it. Her fingernails dug into her skin.

"Even now, that thing is inside you. More forbidden than a tailed beast; that thing is pure darkness. There is no reasoning with something that exists to kill." He took another step forwards, and Rena couldn't help but tremble in fear. Everything she knew was breaking to pieces, in the course of a single night.

"No...!"

"That monster that is the very reason for your clan's existence, The Black Cat, Akito." Madara's Sharingan saw through her, saw to the very depths of her trembling, pathetic soul. "You were born as a container, over and over. A catalyst of destruction; mother planned that when you were activated, you would destroy everything and everyone you touched!" At this point, Madara was attempting to aggravate her; he needed to see this monster for himself, to see if it was really true. He hoped not, but knowing the darkness of the Hikari clan, nothing was a lie. "Show me the source of all despair!"

Madara was finally upon her; he raised the weapon he held above his head, poised to strike. If she wouldn't show him, then he'd get the Black Cat itself to respond to his call.

Rena let out a scream of agony, her flesh tearing itself apart. The scars where her wings once took root began to glow; her flesh turned from pink to a pitch black. Her eyes turned completely black, and slits of red opened, alike to a cat's eye. White markings began to appear across her completely pitch black body; a tail protruded, clearly to be used as a weapon. It winded around her body, not touching her, but spiked and dripping with a black substance that was potentially poison. Cat ears became her true ears; she could hear the screams of humanity, and they charged her power to its full extent. A negative, black chakra surrounded her, almost solid.

She disappeared.

Madara quickly stepped to the left, and the entire field was ripped apart. He had easily dodged her attack, but it was clear that if she hit him, he would suffer damage. The landscape was changing.

Storm clouds gathered in the sky above them, and droplets of rain began to fall. Rena... no, the monster looked at Madara, nothing but death in its eyes. Madara had never seen a creature like this in his life. Not even a tailed beast could acquire this amount of hatred.

To think, this monster had once been human.

"So, this is the truth behind your existence. I feared mother was hiding something from us all." The disgust in his tone was inconceivable. "I see now why that thing is not a tailed beast. I can smell you from here, the scent of decay; it is disgusting."

A twisted, gurgled, agonized scream came from the unholy entity before him. Rena still had a grip on who she was, and she hurt. Everything inside her screamed; nobody accepted her. Nobody loved her. Nobody needed her. Her mother, her father, her brother, Madara... nobody would accept her. After seeing her like this, it was all the same.

Who could love a monster?

How disgusting... I can't believe something so disgusting came from my womb.

I've found a use for you, child. War.

You're never going to be loved; give up on such notions. I am the only one who will ever come even close to accepting you.

Stay with me; give your entire existence for me. Dedicate your life to me.

I am the only one who will ever touch someone who is as disgusting as you.

You're worse than a Jinchuriki. At least they are human.

The thing inside you is bloodlust and despair personified and materialized.

You are... disgusting.

Rena had just barely gained minimal control over her Rage Form; thank god it was not the Bloodlust Form, or even worse, the Shinigami Form. If it had been either of those, the notion of control would be nothing more than a mere fantasy... She was glad that Akito had not collected enough influence to affect her Form Type.

Her Rage Form was power. Her Bloodlust Form was speed... and her Shinigami Form, her most dangerous discovery as of yet, was intelligence...

Meanwhile, Madara was closing in. There was no way Rena was going to escape like this. At the same time, the Black Cat's bloodlust was rising in torrents. If she didn't withdraw the Form, he'd make it Evolve. At that point, he would be in control... and all the Kage would be after her in less than seconds. If there was anything her mother taught her, it was never to get close to any of the Kage who ruled and protected the Villages.

She may be able to defeat entire armies, but going up against Kage...that was a different story entirely.

Her goal was to avoid Kage confrontation at all costs.

She landed in a field, willing and forcing the bloodlust back. Her skin began to fade back into pink, the black corroding away like ashes scattering in the wind. Wounds littered her body; the Black Cat had been fighting her resistance with all he had.

What she was doing was tactically advantageous. However, dispersing her form would mean she would have to fight Madara as she was, which would prove difficult with the amount of blood she lost. She calculated her chances; they weren't good. The Black Cat would creep back into her system and infect her with darkness, forcing her to change Form and perhaps even gain control over her body.

She was fighting two entities at the same time, one inside her, and one that saw through her.

The sound of hooves beating against the ground caused her to look towards another direction; a figure on a horse was fast approaching while the Uchiha was taking his time, slowly walking through the ashes of her homeland.

"Rena!"

Rena looked at the figure on the horse. The horse was freaking out; it was obviously scared of the field ablaze... or perhaps, the figure in the smoke.

"You're my mother's apprentice, Sansa..." Rena staggered to her feet, wobbling uncertainly. Madara was just beyond the thin film of smoke. It seemed to part as he emerged from it, almost willingly.

"We need to leave, Rena. Now!" Sansa reached her hand out towards Rena, who shook her head.

"No... no! Madara is coming for me... he's trying to kill me! My beloved brother is....!"

"Calm down! I'm here now, and Madara won't hurt you." Sansa grabbed Rena's hand, forcefully pulling her up onto the horse. She pulled at the reins, but the horse refused to move, out of sheer terror of the fast-approaching Uchiha.

"Am I really a monster...?! Why won't people accept me...? Am I that disgusting, so disgusting that even my brother... my mother refuses to love me?!"

"I can't answer that, Rena. Only you can. Are you a monster?"

With that, she jerked the reins as hard as possible, and the horse shot forwards, galloping away. When Sansa looked back to check the distance between them and the enemy, she saw Madara standing in the field of burning wheat, not even bothering to pursue them. His ebony hair blew in the wind, free and wild. However, the truly haunting thing about him was his eyes; they held an extreme hatred, one that could possibly rival that of the Black Cat's.

"I will find her, Sansa Hikari. She will not live long enough to find someone who loves her, let alone accepts her."

The only thing that flowered in Sansa's mind was a question; why? Why would Madara do something like this? What could possibly be worth murdering his own sibling?

~ Flashback Over ~

Rena's muscles seized up; had that really been... had that really been her? The Black Cat... is that the thing that was talking to her?! Chichi sensed the tension, but she couldn't bring herself to ask what was going on in Rena's mind.

I am Akito, and you are my vessel. Do you understand now? Do you think that 'Chichi' will love you if she sees your true self? Do you think that 'Gaara' would allow you to exist in a world like this? You'd be dead. Your beloved Gaara would kill you.

Rena shivered, but she couldn't show any of her emotion in her expression. This was a bluff and a bet; this terrifying force of energy was slowly seeping through her chakra network. It almost caused her veins to freeze over; it was like cold beyond cold.

I'll submit to your will for now, but remember; I'm here, inside you... and I'm waiting. You can't even trust your 'mother'. Hahaha...

The laughter faded, nothing more than the whisper of an echo. Yes; if Sansa wasn't her true mother and her real mother's disciple... who was her real mother, truly? What was her identity... and was she really dead?

How much was Sansa keeping from her...? When would she know the truth!?

She was spurred from her thoughts when Sansa approached from behind. "Rena. Our third member seems to be Gaara."

Even if Sansa was cruel sometimes, she was still Sansa, right? Even if she lied to Rena, there had to be a reason. Rena kept everything inside; she wouldn't take this kind of thing out on Sansa! She trusted her mother; she wouldn't stop now!

Filled with resolution, she turned to Sansa and gave a wide smile. Chichi almost sighed in relief; Rena hadn't really been acting like... well, Rena. For a second there, Chichi almost thought she saw someone else inside Rena... someone with much darker intentions.

"Sansa, you're the Jonin overseeing our mission, and Gaara is our third member? Woah, I hit the jackpot today!"

She'd have to apologize for acting so irrationally towards Gaara today, as well. She hurt him for no good reason, and all because she couldn't tell him she loved him. Even now, the thought of saying so scared her, but maybe that was a good thing.

Love wasn't easy, after all; just like training was difficult. If love was more difficult than training, then it had to be better for you, right? Rena wouldn't blindly say the words; she'd wait until she was ready.

Meanwhile, the dark energy in Rena was terribly upset. It had not expected her to use its words as a driving force to come to a realization; why was she so positive? Shouldn't she be extremely negative at this point?

Needless to say, its power over her was waning, a lot less stronger than it was only minutes ago. It wouldn't be able to talk to her with her on guard and, even worse, happy.

Sansa was surprised to find Rena as her normal self, but then again, Rena wasn't one to hold grudges. She could normally understand that some things were bigger than her, as well. Topics that were meant for adults, like the future of the village, could easily be discussed because of her level of understanding. "Ah, shut up! We 'ave a real long way to go, and just thinking about spending three days with you gives me a damn headache!"

"Aww, I guess two is your limit then, huh?" Rena smirked, and Sansa growled. Was this punk really challenging her patience already!? She'd pound her into the ground!

"My apologies for being late. Temari and Kankuro employed my assistance to help find something Kankuro borrowed from the library." Gaara's figure was clear as it formed from sand; it seemed like he could still talk, despite being scattered in the air. His aura was blank, a clean slate. Rena gave him a small smile, walking towards him and discreetly touching his hand. His eyes didn't move, but he knew this was her way of apology. Whatever had been bothering her then was now gone.

"This kid is the Shukaku, isn't it?" Chichi's eyes narrowed. Even if she didn't have to ask the question, she still did. However, the reaction that came from Rena wasn't quite expected.

"Chichi, please apologize to Gaara for calling him an 'it.'"

Chichi tensed up; yeah, it was definitely bad to insult Gaara in Rena's presence. However, Chichi gave in quite quickly; she didn't want Rena to start shunning her, after all. "Fine, sorry." Gaara's expression darkened.

"Apology refused."

Chichi turned to him, her mouth hanging slightly open in an 'o' of surprise. Then, she gave him a nasty glare. "Excuse me?! I only apologized because Rena asked me to, you freaking idiot! You'd better accept it!"

"And if I refuse again?" Gaara was pushing her for the sake of pushing her. At least, that was how Rena saw it. The glare on his face rivaled that of Chichi's.

"Then I'll fucking beat my apology into you with my fists!"

"Woah, guys! Stop it! Chichi, starting fights is bad, and Gaara, you should accept her apology!" Rena stepped in between Gaara and Chichi, making sure that they didn't get close to each other. Not that it would help, as they were both long-range shinobi. Well, Gaara was mid-range, and Chichi was in the middle of mid-range and long-range.

"Damn it, you always start fights!"

"Apologies should not be accepted unless they are sincere."

"Chichi, I start fights for others, not myself. Gaara, some people can't convey an apology because of shame or sadness. Either way, you're gonna receive dishonest apologies in your life." Rena tried to defuse the tension in the air, but it continued to suffocate them all. It was like a death grudge match as if they had killed one another and were now somehow back from the grave and ready for revenge.

"Whatever! You two aren't worth my time, anyways!" Chichi stalked off angrily into the desert, ahead of everyone. However, it seemed like Gaara wasn't having that.

"You two are both too absent-minded for my liking." Gaara coldly walked away, trying to be faster than Chichi. They started to run, causing quite a bit of distance between them and the rest of the team.

"Cold shoulder from them both, huh?" Rena crossed her arms, taking a deep breath; to get these two to work together would be a miracle.

"They just don't like the fact that you're right; it's not your fault, they're just having a hard time with one another. It runs a lot deeper than you think, Rena. Gaara... well, the Shukaku took Chichi's parents from her. Meanwhile, Chichi put your life in danger and came back without a scratch while you were out of commission for an entire week. Both have their reasons to hate one another, and they can't let go of that hatred." Sansa placed a hand on Rena's shoulder.

"I can't help but feel like I'm the problem here. I'm trying harder than ever to be a good team leader, but after that failure..."

"It won't happen again, Rena. You won't fail like that twice."

Rena turned to Sansa, giving her a smile. "Right! I won't let you die, either, Sansa-sensei!"

"Who says I need your fuckin' protection?! I'm capable! Don't get cocky, you little shit!" Sansa turned away from Rena and began to run as fast as she could. Gaara and Chichi were already almost miles away, caught up in their competition. If they didn't catch up fast, then they wouldn't be catching up.

Rena ran beside Sansa, giving one of her confident smirks. "Someday, I'll fight with you back-to-back on the battlefield, fighting together as not student and teacher, or mother and daughter, but as equals!"

Sansa gave a motherly smile; Rena was slightly different than before. Perhaps it had something to do with what Sansa had said. Sansa felt it; this mission would be the deciding direction of where Rena's strength was.

However, somewhere inside her, there was a nagging feeling that something was approaching, a darkness. Sansa shook off the feeling, however. Whatever is was, they could handle it.

It wasn't like Rena had the ability to awaken her Kekkai Genkai.

"Then fucking hurry the damn hell up already, you delinquent! You're never going to be my equal if you can't keep up!" With that, both disappeared, hunting after Gaara and Chichi at top speed.

[ Tanoshidesu Town. ]

Cheshire: This town is a great place-

Marionetta: Currently, in the main storyline, Naruto is returning to the Hidden Leaf with the new Hokage in his possession. Soon, the Hidden Sand's treaty with the Leaf will be reapplied.

Cheshire: Damn it, Marionetta! That's not what these are for! We're supposed to-

Marionetta winds back, clocking Cheshire in the face.

Marionetta: My apologies for his stupidity.

 

"Finally here!" Rena spread her arms wide, absolutely exhausted. They had been running all the way here; in the end, Gaara and Chichi's race was a tie. It was almost impossible to discern who the better shinobi in terms of speed was at this point.

The inn that they were scheduled to stay in was only minutes away; this town was filled to the brim with gangsters and rogue shinobi that were causing issues for the inhabitants of the village.

Meanwhile, Chichi and Gaara remained creepily quiet, exchanging death glares every few seconds. It was clear that they hated one another.

Another memory flashed through Rena's head, but it seemed more gentle than the rest.

~ Flashback [I know you hate these xD] ~

"Madara!" A small, 10-year-old Rena ran up to a 16-year-old Madara and a 15-year-old Izuna. "Izuna!"

"Little sister." Madara turned to her, giving a small smile. Izuna was standing beside Madara, and he gave a smile alike to Madara's. Madara kneeled down, and Rena ran into his arms, giving him a hug.

"How did it go? Did you finally beat those Senju, guys?" Rena's eyes lit up, and Izuna sighed. Madara's smile was washed away and replaced with a frown. Rena's smile faded.

"It's alright! We'll beat the Senju someday, I promise!" Izuna patted Rena on the head.

"Older brother..."

"You had something you wanted to ask us, no?" Madara smiled, reaching down and patting her alike to Izuna.

"Yeah! I want you guys to train me! Pretty please? I don't have my Sharingan yet, and it's really difficult for me to even attempt Fire Style, but I have to get it sometime, right?"

"You're so positive, little sister!" Izuna stood, and turned to Madara. "What do you say? Should we help her out, Madara?"

"Of course. We have time at the moment; besides, we should show her a battle between two full-fledged shinobi." Madara and Izuna smiled at one another; there was a certain light in Izuna's eyes, as both of them activated their Mangekyou Sharingan. "Watch closely, Rena, because someday you, too, will awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan. We'll help you."

"Wow! I get to see a spar between my two older brothers! You guys are so cool!" Rena jumped up in the air, pumping her fists.

"She has the fire of the Uchiha Clan, older brother!" Izuna smiled roughly, and where Madara was smiling...he still had slight feelings about how different Rena looked from them. She didn't even have an affinity for Fire Style... even if Izuna couldn't tell, there was something seriously wrong with Rena. However, Madara wouldn't act on it, not yet. He didn't have enough spare time to investigate, and even further, what harm was there in Rena's existence? Even if something was off, there were more important matters to tend to.

Rena was his little sister, and she'd remain that way until otherwise proven. He kneeled down, giving her a small pat on the head.

"I love you, little sister."

Rena only gave him a quizzical look; it was unlike Madara to say such things randomly.

~ Flashback End~

While Gaara and Chichi exchanged glares, and Rena was reminiscing about the long-gone past, a snake had crept up behind them, staying within the shadows. It was pure white, a strange color to find in the desert; certainly bleached scales were quite awkward. However, its eyes glinted with a familiar bloodlust...

There she was; his escaped little subject. He would reclaim her and complete his experiments so that he would never have a need to try and find her once more. Unbeknownst to the four who stopped in front of the inn; they were in for a hell of a week. If only they would never have come to this town in the first place, then maybe... perhaps... future events would never come to pass.

"We're here!" Rena flung open the door playfully, parading into the inn with flair. A single kick to the face propelled her into the wall, where she slid down, face-first and stunned. A blonde-haired guy that was about her age seemed to be the culprit.

"What the hell do ya think you're doin', treatin' this place like it's your own?!" He yelled angrily. His entire face was red, and there was an extreme glare.

"Kyo, what the hell did I tell you about kicking our guests!?" An older woman entered the room from the door to the left, sighing. She had bags under her eyes; she obviously looked slightly overworked. She had a bucket in her hand; she must have been scrubbing rooms clean.

"Mom, she was acting like she owned the whole god damn place! You can't just let ninja act like they do!" The boy retorted, shooting an ice-cold glare at Rena, who glared back.

"The guests are always right, Kyo." His mother pulled his hair, tugging him to the side. "Keep your anger under control, and stop swearing so much!" His mother had the same sun-colored hair as he did, and they both had a tan. Kyo turned to Rena, a cocky glare on his face. His eyes were alike to piercing daggers; he turned away, stomping through a door.

"What's his problem?" Rena rubbed the back of her head, growling in pain. The impact wouldn't be enough to injure her, but it still smarted a bit.

"Please, forgive Kyo's rash actions. I'm sure he meant to say sorry there, but rather, he walked away after getting embarrassed." His mother bowed, in apology. She seemed to be desperate for their business. "I am Kagome Kikyo."

Rena was almost flustered; this woman was really formal and good at it. She was polite and gentle. Everything her mother wasn't. "Kagome... It's alright. You don't need to bow to us; I'm used to dealing with people alike to your son."

"What's that supposed to mean, you stupid idiot!?" Sansa winded back to hit Rena, but realizing that they were in front of the person whose inn they were about to use, she put her hand down. She didn't want to have to explain to the Elders why there was a damage bill... let alone have one at all. Gaara and Chichi's faces went dark; was she referring to them?

"My mother, Sansa, has a pretty big tell. She insults people when they're right about something she wants to be wrong. Chichi's personality changes from ice cold to conflicted. Gaara just never talks and it's impossible to tell what he's thinking or feeling because he's as easy to get through to as a stone wall is. Actually, a stone wall might be easier." Gaara was beginning to get annoyed while Chichi was sharpening one of her kunai. Just one... only one through the eye...

"So... are you telling me you have previous experience with people like Kyo?" Kagome was in thought.

"A lot, actually." The tension in the room was at the ultimate high. Sand particles gently floated around in the room, and Chichi had kunai in between all of her fingers.

"Then please..." Kagome stepped towards Rena, with the grace of a noblewoman. She grabbed her hands.... and then groveled on her knees, in the most humiliating form of begging. "Please make my son fall for you!"

"What?" The entire room was silent. Not a single person talked; not a single mouse moved. Sand began to flow in from cracks in the floor, and Gaara was extremely agitated.

"My son needs a wife. He's good looking and a fairly average worker but his personality is horrible! Please enter into an arranged marriage with my son!"

"As flattered as I am by your offer, I don't think..." Rena backed up a step, but Kagome closed in on her like a pack of wild dogs.

"Please, nobody else will take him! If you can understand him, maybe you can come to love him!"

"I believe there are several inns in this village. Let's go." Gaara grabbed Rena's hand, a surprising display of public affection. In reality, Gaara was extremely jealous. For Rena to even think of being in an arranged marriage with someone that wasn't him was taboo. Rena began to really feel the pressure when Gaara wouldn't let go of her hand; any more, and he'd be breaking it. There was also an extremely scary look on Gaara's face.

"Wait, you have reserved rooms here! You can't just leave!" Kagome scrambled after them. Yes, she was definitely desperate for customers. This inn was most likely going under, and that was why it was extremely cheap.

"Gaara, let's stay here. We already paid for the rooms, anyways. Besides, I might as well get to know who this 'Kyo' kid is. He might just be like you. I wouldn't mind getting to know anyone if they were like you." Rena's hand slipped from his, and Gaara felt like his entire world was crashing around him. He didn't enjoy change; he had liked the way it had been when they were six years old. He had thought Rena's heart would be his and his alone forever, that he could protect her forever, but then others came along and invaded the world they had created for just the two of them. Kankuro, Chichi, Sansa, Baki, Cheshire, Marionetta, Kyo... all of these people were just in the way. Chichi had nearly gotten her killed, and Rena could still accept her, which was almost unforgivable.

"Rena." Gaara reached for her, but she didn't hear. It was too late, as her hand disappeared from his line of view. She had gone after Kyo. Why did he feel like she was slipping away, like she was trying to be distant? Was it his fault for being hurt because of the time she pushed him away?

"Don't be too surprised, Gaara. It's only natural she'd go for an actual human being." Chichi smirked at him, passing by. Her voice was low, as not to alert Sansa. She'd got in trouble for bullying someone before, and now she had a chance to bully the Shukaku. It wasn't every day you could bully a murderer. Especially a murderer you had a personal grudge against. "I guess she just doesn't wanna be with a monster. Too bad for you; I approve of Kyo, more than I ever would a monster like you." Chichi grabbed one of the room keys that Kagome held out to them, walking away towards the area that held the separate rooms. Gaara was almost trembling as he stared at the key he held in his hand. He suppressed the urge to cry; it was unnecessary to dwell on such trivial emotions, let alone express them. He followed Chichi, as his room was near hers.

Sansa turned to Kagome. "I don't like you, and I don't like whatever you're trying to pull. He has her heart, and he'll have her hand, too."

"Not if my Kyo can help it, miss. She deserves a man; the boy is too scrawny." A smirk rolled off Kagome's face; how rude could someone be? Sansa would never let Rena have a stepmother like this.

"No, not if I can help it; she's my daughter, and I disapprove. That Kyo isn't getting 30ft in the general area of her and an altar; if he does, he's going to be assassinated. Slowly. Meanwhile, Gaara is the youngest son of the late Kazekage; show some respect."

"The boy... wow, it must have been hard losing his father..." [People outside of the Hidden Sand don't know about the Shukaku.] Kagome's aura became saddening; it was obvious she realized the gravity of her disrespect. Gaara had been listening in; he dropped his key on the counter.

"I'll sleep somewhere else. This area is too noisy."

Sansa sighed. Gaara walked out of the inn; there wasn't much she could do to stop him. After all, it was Gaara's decision. However, Rena should be there to help him through things like this. Where was she? Off chasing some country boy. Sansa almost growled out loud but stopped herself. Now was not the time to be angry.

~

"Yo, Blondie!" Rena walked up to Kyo with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. Shock waves of nausea went through Kyo, causing him to shiver. If this girl was gonna be this happy, all the time...

"Don't call me that!" He shouted harshly, his entire face a red mess. He shuffled away from her but didn't get far. The scorching heat of the desert was difficult for him to brave; it was a hotter day than usual.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?" Rena sat beside Kyo, on the cracked ground of the desert. They were sitting in the shade of a tree with barely any leaves, but it made a big difference. It was like stepping in a freezer during summer. "I'm just helping your mother rest her case about you, and then I'm going straight back to my friends."

"Damn it, she has no right to do things like that!"

"She's doing it because she cares. Sansa is the exact same way." Rena gave a small shrug, then got up. "Anyways, I gotta get back, okay? Try to treat your mom a little nicer. She's one of the good ones." She walked away, leaving behind an extremely confused Kyo. What had Rena meant by 'one of the good ones'?

When Rena left, Orochimaru saw his opening to get what he wanted. The snake he was controlling was purely for... recon, but since he couldn't make hand signs, this was his best form of engagement when it came to the Hidden Sand. Since Tsunade refused to fix his arms, he'd need Sasuke. However, while he was waiting, he might as well retrieve the subject that escaped.

He slithered up to Kyo. "Hello there, little boy," Kyo responded irrationally by jumping three feet in the air and falling flat on his face. This one would be extremely easy to manipulate.

"What the hell!?" The fact that a snake could talk was mildly shocking. Well, worse to those who weren't aware of Orochimaru's abilities, especially when connected to snakes. Everyone knew of the Three Sannin.

"I'm a benevolent spirit, granting wishes to those who are pure of soul," Orochimaru grinned from the place he was sitting; his eyes were that of the snake's while his body was elsewhere. The snake wrapped around Kyo's leg. "What is your wish, Kyo?" Orochimaru had been observing this way, solely for information. It would have been foolish to go by himself, especially without Jutsu. Not only that, but there were too many threats in the area; he'd have to be discreet. He had at least learned Kyo's name from his observations.

"My wish...?" Kyo was already caught by Orochimaru's influence; there was no doubt he'd easily fall into Orochimaru's plans. Kyo stared at the few flowers that grew in his garden, the only ones that could brave the heat of the desert. "I guess, more than anything, I want to travel. I want to see, hear, and know things. I want to look at all the flowers in the world... but it will never happen." Kyo walked towards the pond, kneeling. "I don't have the money or the time."

"Ah, but you can have both of those things. You see, I can make you a special deal."

"A deal?" Kyo was filled with uncertainty. Orochimaru could almost taste it. However, he had certainly got the child's attention.

"I'll give you what you wish in exchange for a favor. Now, as shady as it seems, all you have to do is bring Rena Hikari, the girl who was just here, to me." Orochimaru almost laughed, but stopped himself. It would draw more negativity than positivity; he wanted to seem like a friend.

"Rena? I...I guess I can do that, but what would you want her for?"

"Why, I just want to grant her wish, just like I'm doing for you. She...did something for me in the past, you see. I owe her plenty; so please, bring her to me. But, if she could be sleeping when you do, that would be pleasant." From where he sat, he chuckled internally, an infernal grin spread across his face. If the test subject that escaped from him was with Tsunade, there would be no getting her back at the current moment. Perhaps later; but while this one was unguarded...

"Why sleeping? I mean, that sounds suspicious."

Undetectable to Orochimaru, a woman stood in the tree, a lone figure. Her eyes hid bloodlust, but she found it almost laughable that Orochimaru thought Rena was unguarded. Would she finally need to intervene...? Or perhaps view her daughter from a closer angle? Either way, maybe the time to act was now.... But she'd wait, for the sake of entertainment. Her daughter was able; even if Orochimaru went up against her, he'd find a nasty surprise when she activated a part of her daughter's memory...

"Because it would be a nice surprise for her to be paid back after her long sleep, with a wish just waiting to be granted. She'll be so surprised to see me, and I would love to see the look of surprise on her face." Orochimaru hissed gently; he had a lot of patience, but he wanted this over and done with. Next week, he would target Sasuke and have him in less than a day.

"I'll do it! It's a deal! We have special sleeping herbs in the kitchen that are used to calm restless guests. I can prepare some tea and act like I wanna talk to her about something." Kyo stood up from the pondside.

"You should pack, and leave a runaway note. Don't talk to anyone on your way out; not even your mother. Wait until everyone is sleeping."

"Got it! I won't fail, okay? World, here I come!" Kyo ran towards the direction of the inn, ready to do the deed.

The figure in the tree sneered, and the snake turned towards it... but there was nothing there. Rena's mother wouldn't interfere unless it was necessary... and it wasn't, not yet.

~

"Huh? Gaara returned his room key?!" Rena's face fell into shock; the daffodil she had picked on the way back in slipped out of her hand.

"What I wanna know is why you weren't by his side. He's goin' through a damn hard time." Sansa crossed her arms and leaned against the wall of the inn's main area. Rena ran past her. She'd have to track Gaara, making sure to do so before the end of the day.

"..." Rena simply ran out of the room, not looking back. As she did, another memory flooded her mind; nostalgia was a bittersweet prize.

~ Flashback ~

"An entire Legion was slaughtered. Do you have anything to say for yourself? This was your fault, after all." Rena's mother had death in her eyes and a glare. Her lips were twisted upwards in a snarl; she wasn't angry, she was furious.

"Mother, please... I'm only ten years old..! Most people wouldn't expect their children to fight a war at that age-"

"Shut the hell up!" Elliel lost her composure; she had cleared out the building to make sure nobody would hear. She needed to punish this insolent piece of... "You have an obligation to me, child. You are mine to control, do you understand? We don't kill just because we have to. We kill because we can, and it's amusing to watch people scramble for such a thing called 'war'."

"I...I still don't understand, mother! You've taught me plenty. We kill for fun. We live to have this fun. So... we live to kill, correct...?" Rena's expression was hopeless; she still had hesitation. Elliel hated that; everyone in this village trusted in her, followed the way of their clan blindly. However, Rena... she still doubted. She still felt. She should be nothing more than a puppet.

"You still don't understand; that is something you are correct about. You're an ugly monster with no future except for a blood-stained path. I am the only one who will accept you; one word from me, and everyone in the clan would turn on you. I'm a dangerous person to piss off, child." Elliel's kimono slightly slid off her shoulder; it was loosely tied.

"Mother, I... I pulled back because we were all going to die! If I hadn't... I managed to save 6 of the Legion assigned to me!" There were 17 units in a Legion. For her to be able to save that many was all that she could possibly do.

"You're lucky I allow you to call me 'mother.' And, save? What have you saved them from? At least the ones who die in the heat of battle are honored. The ones you saved, three of them, committed suicide for the dishonor they brought on their families. The rest are to be executed for the charge of dishonor on their families and abandoning the battlefield. Two charges; both punishable by death." Elliel threw her head back and let out a slow laugh.

"But I... I saved them!" Rena fell to her knees, tears dripping from her eyes. She shook, her body wracked with sobs.

"Your pathetic attempt at saving them is what killed them. In a way, by saving them, you betrayed them... and you get to live with the guilt. You'll be a prime example of a failure to the rest of our clan. Unfortunately, since killing you off would be highly frowned upon by the Order of Akito, I can't exactly do that, now, can I?" Elliel's toe hit the floor, and Rena's head shot up in fear. As she pressed her complete foot to the ground, a thousand blows hit Rena, all at once. Elliel's eyes narrowed and a dark grin appeared across her face. "However, it doesn't mean I can't beat you an inch within your life...!"

All the while, the nursery rhyme Rena had been taught by her Sensei began to make more sense. The one who had looked after her, and cared for her. She wondered if he was home; she'd have to visit him after this.

Dare to make the red queen mad, you will regret the existence of everything you ever had,

Be wary, for if the Blood Queen may step off her throne, you will be facing her alone.

If the Mistress of Demons may prance into the battlefield, none shall survive her Sky Dance.

Enemy or ally alike, all shall fall. Beware, the song of the Blood Call.

Beware, the white roses turned red.

~ Flashback End ~

Rena grabbed her head, in absolute pain. She fell to her knees, quite alike to the way she had in her nostalgia. She dug her fingers into her hair, screeching in pain. Luckily for her, nobody was out on the streets.

So it's all coming back to you, huh? Feels great to be involved, doesn't it? To finally know the past that is hidden from you? You don't know all of it yet, darling. Try... 12%. You barely knew who you were; let alone who anyone else was to you.

She was suffering immensely; with every word Akito said, her head hammered.

When you find out what your mommy dear did...to the people you got close to, can you really care about her anymore? Oh, I'm not talking about your real mommy. I'm talking about Sansa. Didn't you know what a prodigy she was? How she was a favorite of the Blood Queen? I'm sure you'll find out real soon.

Rena shivered, but she shook off the voice. She couldn't trust it; she didn't even know if it was real. It was just in her head, a dark specter made from her own trust issues.

Believe what you want to believe. If you won't trust me, I'm not going to help you anymore.

The voice's presence faded, and Rena could finally relax. It wouldn't be back, not for a while. It would finally leave her the hell alone for a bit. She could breathe. Rena picked herself up off the ground. If her memory wasn't fully back yet, then there was no need to make a fuss about it to Sansa until she put all the pieces together. Knowing Sansa, without Rena knowing everything, Sansa would find a damn way to pull the wool over her eyes.

She also felt like Sansa would find some way to take the memories she already had...

Rena walked forwards, almost stumbling. She caught herself, turning the corner. She stared at the sky, but instead, was met with a strange sight; Gaara was in a tree, and his gourd lay against the trunk. The strangest part was a tree covered in green in the desert; it had obviously been planted and cared for by the villagers.

"Come down from there, Gaara." Rena gently extended her hand to him. Gaara's eyes temporarily flickered open, but shut again. He was still angry about how she had chased after Kyo, and he wouldn't acknowledge her wishes.

"I'm fine where I am."

"No, you're not. You shouldn't be giving your key back! Make a noise complaint! You're a customer!" Rena walked up to the tree, putting her hand on the trunk. It was more than what she had been saying; she knew he was feeling lonely.

"I don't need to stay in an inn. Why should I?"

Rena's hands curled into tight fists and she bit her lip. She then let out a high pitch scream, which shocked Gaara so much he fell out of the tree he had been resting in. He hit the floor, looking up at her in shock.

"You're going to be Kazekage someday, that's why! Do you think the Kazekage would pull some temper tantrum like this?! Huh?! What about Naruto Uzumaki, would he be happy to see you in this state? Your mother is watching over you, so please..."

Gaara stood up, walking past her; his shoulder brushed against hers. "My mother died cursing the Sand."

"I don't believe in that bullshit!!" Rena grabbed his hand.

"The Kazekage, my uncle... they both told me that." Gaara looked at Rena. His expression hardened.

"Are you fucking joking!? Anyone would fall in love with you at first sight, dammit!" Rena wrapped her arms around Gaara from behind, squeezing tightly. She closed her eyes, and taking in his scent, she also took a deep breath. It was time to say those words. Love wasn't easy, damn it, but it was worth it despite the ups and downs! "Gaara Suna! I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you! I've loved you since we were children and that's that, so even if your mother really did die cursing the Hidden Sand, then I'll be the one watching over you! I'll be your guardian angel. I'm not gonna give up, and if I don't give up, then neither will you!"

"Again." Gaara didn't turn around. Rena let go, taking a step back.

"...huh?" Rena cocked her head in confusion.

"Please, say it again." His body tensed up, in a way that Rena had never seen before. His guard was down.

"Gaara, I love you-" Gaara quickly whirled around, embracing her with all the strength he could muster. Tears were dripping down his cheeks.

"Again...! Please, say it again!" Seeing his tears, she also began to cry.

"Gaara, I love you, and I will love you always and forever. I will stand by your side because I love you." Gaara gently kissed her, then pulled away, resting his head on her shoulder. She held him tightly.

"I've wanted to hear those words so desperately, from you, from somebody, from anyone. Those beautiful words that mean so much to me..." Gaara's voice showed hints of his sobbing. Rena gently pet his hair; he was happy, and she was happy, and their world was perfect. She felt almost motherly; it was a strange feeling, but she wanted to comfort Gaara.

"From now on, just ask, and I'll say those words every day, any hour. No matter how many people are being bystanders." Rena completely wrapped her arms around Gaara. "You can't let little things knock you down; even when they do, you have to keep getting back up. Temari and Kankuro love you, too, so please... fight. Not just for me, not for them, but for yourself, too. If you can't even protect yourself, how can you protect us.... The entire Hidden Sand?"

"You're correct." Gaara's sobbing began to calm; he had finally brought his emotions to a slow stop. "I love you, Rena. If I want to protect you, I must first protect myself. I will not be able to become Kazekage the way I am; as the boy I am now, I cannot face Naruto Uzumaki and say I am truly changed."

"I know your wish, Gaara." Rena lifted his face up, so he was looking directly in her eyes. "I'll fight for that wish; I'll see to it that wish is granted. I'll go through any hell to make your ideals realistic; these are the only things that I have to fight for! You, the Hidden Sand, Temari, Kankuro, Chichi, Sansa, Baki, Marionetta, Cheshire... all of you, I love you all so much! I hate it when you fight, because you're all I have! You're all my life."

Unfortunately for Rena, three people were listening in on the conversation. The first, her real mother.

She was in the tree, opposite the branch Gaara had been. Sometimes, it astounded her how blind shinobi could be. Then again, she was known for her stealth techniques... and she did have more than four hundred years to become the ninja she was today.

Rena was more like her than she could ever imagine, or possibly hope to be. From the personality, to the self-sacrificial needs. Didn't she know it would someday kill her on the inside? Once everyone was dead and gone, and Akito kept her alive. As long as the monster within her was active, everyone around her would die painfully. She'd bring suffering everywhere she went; there was a 3% chance she'd ever have children of her own, and a 0.5% chance she'd live past 30. Even more was the 0000.1% chance that she'd simply die peacefully, of old age. She honestly wondered why Sansa had raised her to be so naïve, without a single memory of her past life.

She watched her old student, who was leaning against the back of the tree, and smirking to herself.

Sansa was caught up in her own thoughts. She was glad that Rena had her will in place, so it was time for Sansa to make her decision. She would become the stand-in 'Kazekage', until Gaara took the position from her. Rena's desire was to protect her home and her friends, and Sansa would act on that will and be the shield. Sansa was going to sacrifice everything on the belief that Rena could finally live the normal life she had once desired.

Chichi lay on the roof of a nearby store, basking in the sun. She had masked her chakra upon detecting Gaara so that she was virtually undetectable. If them fighting really rustled Rena all that badly, she'd get along with the Shukaku. It wouldn't change how she felt, but... damn, all of this was just so annoying! She'd never accept him, but for Rena's sake... for her best friend, she'd do anything.

Kyo had been following Rena, but had lost her. Our third observer was Orochimaru himself, in the snake form. He was annoyed; would Kyo continue to be worthless?

An explosion came from the store Chichi was lying on, and she was launched into the air. She flew about 3 meters, hitting the ground face-first. Orochimaru slithered away, not wanting to get caught in the blast or detected and blamed for the explosion.

Sansa quickly appeared in front of the shop, ahead of the four figures exiting the store in the smoke. This was definitely the fault of the gang who was wreaking havoc on the border; this was the reason they were here, for border patrol. This gang tended to hit only towns and villages on the border, since the Hidden Sand was short quite a few shinobi.

Gaara and Rena had the same idea, appearing on either side of Sansa.

Four people exited the dust.

Chichi stood from the spot she had been vaulted to, brushing herself off. She looked quite pissed off. "Hey, you disrupted my nap. You're gonna be damn sorry, got it?!"

"Hey... Chichi, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Chichi stretched; she was extremely upset about the rooftop, as it seemed to be the warmest place to sleep. She was intending on sleeping there, and she had already been there for quite a while. Gaara had come second, Rena had come third, and Sansa came fourth. Chichi was just about to slack off for about 7 hours of patrol duty, but... People started talking, and she was in ear-range distance, and she didn't really wanna move... It isn't eavesdropping if they follow you, right?

"Alright, I came as fast as possible. Let's finish this quickly and go home; I have important business to attend to." Sansa took a Taijutsu stance.

"You really think you're gonna get off that easily, that you can just finish us off? Ukiou, take the bored, sleepy-looking runt. Soukan, take the Eggplant-Hair. Okobo, take the kid with the weird eyes. I, Kousuke, will take the older woman." Kousuke seemed to be the leader, and he looked powerful. Everyone was ready; they seemed to be satisfied with the pairs. Everyone spread off into different directions; they wouldn't be able to fight near one another.

Kousuke's face was completely serious. He seemed ready to fight; Sansa was already more than prepared. And then, a lecherous smile spread across his face.

"Hello, pretty lady!"

"Wow! I thought we were gonna fight, not talk! I'm engaged!" Sansa disappeared, and uppercut Kousuke. He flew into the air, but caught his footing with a flip.

"You should've just responded kindly, like the mediocre old woman you are!" He doubled around, trying to nail Sansa with a hard jab. Unfortunately, she was too fast, and dodged out of the way. If he kept trying to hit her like that, he wouldn't hit her at all.

"Old woman?! You're speaking..." Sansa dodged another one of his slow attacks, rage boiling through her veins like blood. "To the..." He attempted to grab her leg, but failed. She kicked him backwards. "Kazekage!" Sansa nailed him in the face, and it was an instant knock-out. "Show a little respect, you worm! I'm to become the Stand-In Kazekage! There's no way I'm taking the Fifth position! That's reserved for all of Rena's beliefs! Needless to say, respect, damn it!" Sansa was now lecturing the passed-out Kousuke. People passed by, not wanting to get involved.

Gaara ran through the streets of the town, following Okobo. He wanted to get this over with, and do it with finesse. He stopped, raising his arms. A barrier of sand formed in front of Oboko, and behind Gaara.

"There's nowhere to run." Okobo turned to Gaara, a glare in his eye.

"How about...up?!" The man began to run up Gaara's sand wall. He didn't anticipate Gaara's control over the sand. The sand began to move down while Okobo ran up, causing him to stay in only one place. "How... when does this wall of sand end?!"

"You're a fool." Sand wrapped around Okobo, enveloping his entire body. Gaara raised a single hand, and quickly crushed Okobo. "Sand Burial." The sand slowly filed back into Gaara's gourd, with extreme prowess. People stared at Gaara, several of them whispering. A little girl walked up to Gaara, a smile on her face.

"Thank you, mister eye-makeup." Gaara almost gasped out loud; why did people always think that the rings around his eyes were made with makeup? "Mister eye-makeup, you saved our village, didn't you?"

"It's not... eye-makeup..." If Rena ever got wind of this, she'd make fun of Gaara for the rest of his life...! He had to clear up this superstition...!

Meanwhile, Chichi was dealing with Ukiou in another area of town; she was bored as hell, but she was giving it her all.

"Weapon Storm Jutsu!" She took a scroll from her hip, biting her finger and sliding it down the paper. She threw the scroll in the air, and launched herself as well. Spinning the scroll resulted in a spiral; weapons rained down, cornering Ukiou in a circle of weapons. They pierced him well, forcing death. When Chichi wanted to, she could strike anyone down; it was her laziness that most people disregarded and believed was weakness.

Soukan and Rena's battle was the longest of them all; Rena's tactical air meant nothing when dealing with a person she couldn't even hit...!

A tendril of inky black and another of pearlescent white cross-pierced Soukan's. Rena had never seen the likes of it... but the stench, she could smell perfectly. Even from here, the endless smell of iron... the smell of blood. The liquid withdrew, splashing onto the ground and soaking it. It had nothing to do with Rena, whatsoever.

"What...? How did you... without me...?" Soukan fell to the floor, dead. They had hit his heart, spot-on.

A figure observed. The purple eyes were filled with bloodlust; a user of the Kekkai Genkai of the Hikari clan must know anatomy in order to use said Kekkai Genkai. Without sufficient knowledge of the body, death was guaranteed.

Elliel Hikari disappated into nothing; she had other matters to tend to. Rena would have to deal with the rest alone.

"Who was...?" A massive headache caused her to scream. She fell to the ground, curling up into a ball and shaking. She fainted, but as she closed her eyes, all she saw was the shadow of a cat and piercing, red eyes.

So, you're finally coming to visit me.

Kyo exited an alley, from where he had been watching the battle. Perhaps the benevolent spirit could help her in some way. He was happy; he was going to see the world soon.

He walked in the direction that the snake had told him to go.


	14. The Truth About The Past!

Elliel pushed, staring up at the ceiling with a blank look. Only one person was assisting in the birth of her second child; the only one Elliel trusted in the entire world.

"It's... a girl, Lady Elliel!" The young, black-haired girl held up the baby, a smile on her face. Her blue eyes shimmered with excitement. "It's really amazing that you didn't scream, and your expression didn't change once...." Elliel swung her legs over the side of the hospital bed; she couldn't stand to be bedridden for a minute more. War always existed; war would not fight itself. "Lady Elliel, wait! You're weak...!" The black-haired protégé stared dumbfounded as Elliel brushed past her without a single hint of fatigue.

"I'm fine." Her voice was colder than ice, and the protégé felt like she was in the lowest circle of hell. The entire room seemed to freeze over, but the baby did not cry.

"Don't you want to hold your baby...?"

"Sansa, stop asking me irrelevant questions. You know I don't want to hold it." Elliel's ice cold gaze made the hairs on Sansa's neck stand up. "If you push for me to give a shit, one more time, I will drop you back on the filth-filled streets I took you from."

"Of course, Lady Elliel!" Sansa looked down at the baby, feeling sorry for it. Its fate was not to be loved; fate could be cruel. But this is what it was born for, after all. It would live an illusion; believing it was always free, always able to make choices. "But, if you may allow me to speak?"

"Speak quickly. I am the Mitsukage; I have important matters to attend to."

"You can't walk away without naming your baby...!"

"Name it yourself."

"But... you're the mother..." With a glare from the Blood Queen, Sansa quickly racked her mind for an acceptable name. "How about... Rena?"

"Shut up, Sansa. How many times have I said your emotions will get you slaughtered mercilessly? Rena is an acceptable name. Someday, she will be the next Blood Queen; she will become exactly like me. It seems to have a proper ring to it. Rena Hikari, Leader of the Hikari Clan. Rena Hikari, Mitsukage." Elliel walked to the door, but stopped in the frame. Without turning around, she addressed Sansa once more. "Sansa, get Kaori to look after her, as your training may be interrupted otherwise." As Elliel left, the baby began to cry, loudly. Sansa rocked it, a motherly look on her face.

"Ssh, little cat. We will never cross paths again, but I swear to you I will become one of the greatest in the clan; enough to protect them all, even Elliel. She may not be the best figure to have in my life as an idol, but I admire her strength and never-ending passion. It's not that she doesn't want you, little cat, it's that she can't have you. Her capacity to love has hit zero; she's been through much, little cat, so please forgive her. I know you will grow to be just as, if not more, powerful than the parents you'll grow to hate. Your father is the leader of the Kage clan, and he's more excellent than Elliel, definitely. He looks like an angel, little cat, if you were ever to see his wings. Your brother, Luna, is alike in this way. He has beautiful shimmering hair." Sansa continued to tell the baby of several things in this world; she hoped that Rena would be able to see the beauty in all of it.

Outside of the door, tears dripped from the Blood Queen's face. "Rena is a perfect name, my little Rena... I love you dearly...! Please forgive me for the accursed future I have resigned you to... Akito will be sealed within you, Rena..."

THE SEALING

Elliel continuously made hand signs. She had been doing so for hours; the seal she was casting was extremely complex, and to mess it up would be a fatal mistake. The sacrifice began to scream, and Elliel's tears became blood. The Crying Seal was almost complete.

A roar came from the mountain that overlooked The Village Hidden in the Shadows; it was obvious who it came from, and it shook the land. "BETRAYAL! BETRAYAL! THE MOMENT I ESCAPE, I WILL SLAUGHTER ALL OF YOU! I WILL DEVOUR EVERY SINGLE HIKARI FOOL!"

Everything was finally quiet, and Elliel let out a sigh of exasperation. She removed a crystal necklace from her own neck, placing it around Rena's neck.

"This is as far as my love goes for you, child. There are only two necklaces like this in the world. This is the legacy I leave you; any proof I actually loved you. Everything I do from here is to protect you from myself and others who would attempt to steal your life-force for their own benefit. Even Sansa does not know of this exchange, child. Someday, when I die, you will take my place. Until then, let the truth be kept from you." Elliel stood, holding her beloved child in her arms. Kaori took Rena from Elliel, and in doing so, also took Elliel's heart with him.

Kaori had three scars on his face, sealing one of his eyes permanently shut. They stretched to his chin, connecting there. He had wavy black hair and piercing blue eyes, and looked like he hadn't slept in a while.

"I will raise her to the exact specifications you desire." Kaori turned, walking away from Elliel. As they faded from her sight, so did her emotions. It was for the best; they needed to be separated.

Elliel turned away from the direction they had disappeared in, and took the first step forward to the rest of their lives.

 

6 years of age

"You're it!" Rena tagged her older brother, by one year. She gave him a small smile.

"Darn! Why are you so much faster than me?!" Luna slumped to the ground, holding his head in defeat. He kept shaking it; Rena laughed. The sight was really funny.

"Because I'm faster!" Rena smugly winked. Both siblings turned to the sound of a door sliding open, and watched as their father took a step out. He was a gentle-faced man, and almost looked like a woman. His long, white hair reached to the floor, and he had a yellow crescent moon mark on his forehead. His eyes were completely white; people would think he was blind, but it was just the pigmentation of the Kage clan's blood that flowed through his veins. He wore an extravagant kimono; white, with several black stars and moons. It gave the illusion of a moving night sky colored monochrome.

"Dad!" Luna was a splitting image, while Rena was basically her mother personified in appearance. Luna's hair was down to his shoulders, though. Their bangs were straight-cut, split in the middle to proudly display the mark of their clan. Their father wore black war paint on his face, however. Luna and Rena ran to him, Luna getting there first.

The next thing that happened, however, was unpredictable. He coldly brushed past Luna, and walked up to Rena, flicking her forehead. She flew into a tree, and coughed up blood on impact. Luna froze in horror. "Wh...at?"

"Luna, come to my side. This is not your sister; it is a demon. You've never had a sister; the she-demon is a liar!" The once-gentle man had a harsh look on his face; it was clear that he meant to execute Rena.

"But, father...!" Luna reached out to his dad, unsure of what to do; if this continued, his little sister would be terribly hurt.

"Stop trying to stop me, Luna! Can't you see that this is a monster, guised as your sister?! This thing has guided you off the path I set for you! I have declared war on the Hikari for using the Kage to birth such an insult!" Setsubo Kage stood tall, but gave a withered glance at Rena. "I give you this chance to run; just for your appearance, I must show you temporary mercy...." Rena remained put, frozen in fear. Setsubo took a step forwards. "If you shall not run, then I will kill you where you stand!"

Rena's heart began to beat painfully fast. It was suffocating, and the air around her turned stale, darkness spreading around her feet and killing the grass below her.

I can give you the power to kill this inferior being. Power your mother has desired for some time; power she doesn't have.

The voice was like an itch in her mind; the kind that you want to scratch, but cannot, because you can't reach it. Her blood was boiling; she could feel the temperature rising. Suffocation wasn't even the correct word for what she was going through.

"Who are you?!" She called, unable to see that the voice was not a physical substance. It was formless, like a black hole.

Setsubo trembled; it was startling to see someone talk to themselves. Had she gone insane? Could she really not comprehend what was happening to her?

Remember my name, child. Akito. I will allow you life; give all of yourself, devote every blood-filled vein in your body to me.

A wave of blistering heat rippled across her flesh, and she could feel the scalding pain inside of her, ripping through her as if she were paper. Her skin began to char, roasting itself black. A scent of decay was on the breeze.

Accept me, child. Love me... delve in my presence!

Rena's pupils faded, and her eyes turned completely white. Markings of glowing white began to emerge from her skin as black flaked off in particular spots. The black abyss that was formerly her skin was now littered with glowing runes.

She stood, taking one step forwards. The very earth screamed for mercy as it was ripped from its bed; the very places she walked crumbled to dust. The monster held out a single hand to the person who regarded it as alien.

"Come to me, father."

~

 

Luna sobbed, his father's corpse in his arms. His father's eyes were wide open, frozen in terror. His bottom half was missing; he had been torn in half. Tears streamed down the face of the child that held his parent with a grip tighter than iron. The feeling was almost electrifying... the feeling of absolute hatred.

"How the hell could you do this, Rena?! He only ever wanted to protect me and this clan, and you took everything away from him! I swear it, you piece of shit! I swear on his grave that I'll kill you!" Luna's crescent moon mark began to glow, and there was nothing but a clear, resolute hatred in his eyes. He existed to kill the person in front of him, and he'd sacrifice anything for it. He'd allow the shinigami to take his soul afterwards; even if it meant an eternity of suffering, he'd kill her. "I curse myself! I curse myself to eternity! Until I kill you, eternity will be my prison! I will hunt you, and I will kill you." Red marks ripped open his skin, tattoos that would never wash away. The Luna Curse, what Luna had been named after, had activated for the first time in a century.

Fate is cruel to this girl, who only defended herself. Fate is cruel to this boy, who will never rest in peace, for all eternity. Fate had taken Rena's chances at a normal life long before her third rebirth.

Fate has caused Rena not only to take her father's life, but countless others. Fate is what Luna created for himself, or cursed himself to.

Fate works in mysterious ways; without fate, Rena would never have come to the Hidden Sand. Rena would have died long before the birth of Gaara, unloved and forever running.

Rena has a chance to complete the past's cycle... a chance to stop running.

But does she have the strength required to turn around and face the past that haunts her waking moments...?


	15. Kidnapped! Orochimaru Has the Upper Hand?!

Rena's eyes slowly opened, and she let out a groan. Her awareness was enough that she realized she was lying down in a puddle of water; it wasn't deep, as there was a marble floor visible just a fingertip's length from the surface of the water. Where was she?

"So, you're finally visiting me here. How lovely." There was a bitter laugh from before her; she gasped, sitting up. Water splashed in all directions. It was a massive, golden glass birdcage. There was a bed, a desk, and a chair. In the middle of the birdcage, a man sat on a chair. He shook his head, scoffing. "Are you just going to look shocked?"

"Who... what is this?! Where am I!?" Rena quickly jumped to her feet, grabbing a kunai from one of her packs on her waist, and brandishing it defensively. The man's laugh filled the empty space.

"Are you joking? Do you not see the seals? I can't get out of here, even if I've tried a thousand times." He stood from the chair, and pressed his palm against the glass. His red eyes were filled with a unique type of hatred. His hair was shoulder-length and black. Rena was on guard, but those things on the birdcage were definitely seals. She dropped her fighting stance, but she was still on her guard. "You're so boring. Don't you know how much torture this is for me? Why does this damn seal have to reflect the holder's true self? Seriously, a glass bird cage? 'Delicate, yet trapped.' Pathetic."

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"Are you fucking stupid? You're inside your own mind. I'm that black chakra you've been denying so desperately."

"You're... Akito?!"

"Ding, ding, ding." He dug his fingernails into the glass, sliding them down slowly. It created a screeching noise, causing Rena to scream in response and hold her ears in pain. The vibes going through her were unexplainable. "And when I get the fuck out of here...I'm gonna kill you."

With that, the scene got smaller, and the cage faded into nothingness...

And she opened her eyes.

~

The nightmare she opened her eyes up to was not unlike the one she had just escaped; she felt drowsy, and she knew instantly that she had been drugged. The numbing feeling going through her body was proof of that.

Her limbs were tied down, immovable. On her arms, she could feel the scratch of roughly carved stone; she knew she was on a table of sorts. From moving her arms, she realized she had enough space to sit up, and so she did. The clank of the chains tying her to the table was familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had once heard that noise.

She surveyed the area, licking her chapped lips. The turning of her head came to a halt and her face went white; she felt like she couldn't breathe. On the table to her left, there were familiar stained medical tools in a pan filled with water. She knew these tools well; they were ones specifically used on her due to their properties.

The slab of what she thought was stone was actually steel with unsteady claw marks all over it. This was the same chamber that she had been in so many nightmares ago. She violently struggled against the chains, screaming loudly for help.

"Now, now. Those chains were placed around your wrists to hold you down. Calm down." The voice was just as familiar as the tools were. Deep, shuddering breaths were coming from the walls; it took her a little bit to realize that they were actually coming from her, and that she was hyperventilating. No, it was too soon. She didn't want to go back to this hell yet.

She had just left it. She had met so many new people, she had gone to the Chuunin Exams and on so many missions. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Baki, Sansa, Chichi, Might Gai, Cheshire, and Marionetta. Everyone she came to know and love. What would Gaara do if she disappeared now? What about Chichi and Sansa? Those were only a few of the people she had come to care for. She couldn't imagine her life without them now. Here, it would be lonely, and cold, and suffocating.

There was no love here.

There was only death and the smell of medical cleaning products.

"Please... Please, just tell me this is a nightmare." Rena whimpered, cowering under Orochimaru's gaze. He smiled, walking into the light. The first thing she noticed was his arms. Instead of their normally pale white complexion, they were grayed. It was if all life had been sucked out of them as they lifelessly swung along with his body movements.

Her own jerky movements against her bindings matched his sways, getting more and more halfhearted with each step Orochimaru took towards her. With his steps, her breath became more and more random and rapid, until finally...

Rena was face-to-face with the snake that took her away from Gaara in the first place.

"I assure you, Rena Hikari, you are very much awake." He shook his head, a small huff escaping his lungs. He looked longingly at the scalpels, and for a minute, she thought he would go for one. Then, she remembered the rumors about the leaf. Orochimaru had lost all of his Jutsu, but not only that, the ability to even move his arms. "I allowed you freedom, a room beyond the width of a box, which was my mistake and mine alone. So, I'd like to know... tell me how you escaped. Someone on the outside must have helped you. Quite a few slaves and experiments escaped during the commotion as well; all of them are dead but you."

"She... she's dead?" Rena whispered, unable to control herself. Her only friend at the time, the one who warned her, dead? There was no way she could contain herself in this situation; Gaara, Chichi and Sansa would search for her, right? They'd save her, just in time. Burst through the doors of Orochimaru's hideout and come get her, and kick his ass in the process.

"I see, I see. I know exactly who it is, now. You've given me the information I needed. That's all I wanted to know, and you are free to go."

Annoying. So it was the slave-girl experiment he had found with Tsunade. It made sense that she would pick up a mute stray such as that one. Although, how she lost her ability to speak was beyond him. He had hunted down every one of the experiments and slaves that had escaped, but he liked sorting his experiments, too. That was why this facility was filled with exclusively males. Because of Rena's origins, he felt that he shouldn't transport her; he had been correct, as she had some sort of unbending will towards escape. The girl who had helped her, however, was a different story. That one was kept around because of her ability to clean wounds; what Orochimaru had no reason to do or waste his time on, the girl did. She'd most likely have extensive medical knowledge, gained from experience of having nothing else to do. To think, Tsunade would take on a self-taught apprentice and guard her as if she were her own child... shows how protective and attached people could get without even attempting to in the first place.

Rena stopped struggling, her breath slowing. Orochimaru was letting her go, letting her walk away...? This was impossible. Orochimaru didn't let people go. At least, he didn't let them leave alive.

Kabuto stood from a chair in the corner, walking up to Rena. He unfastened the chains and as she swung her legs over the table, he imbued chakra into his fist and nailed a direct hit into her stomach in a soft spot, causing her to pass out. Kabuto caught her, holding her by her shoulders before she fell from the table.

"Make it seem as if she had lost that fight she had been in." Orochimaru would have waved him away, but his arms hurt too much for that. He still needed to get his sacrifices in place...

"Lord Orochimaru, forgive my doubt... but why would you put her back? All of this has been a thorn in your side for quite a while. If Sansa Hikari were to search for her, we can simply move locations."

"Blood Release is a very tricky Kekkai Genkai. I've dealt with this kind of Release several times, even going as far as to spy on those who train to use it. The conditions cannot be forced; they must be made in a natural environment. I intend to get the use of my arms back; and when I do, I want her prepared. I will learn everything that Blood Release has to offer. If she unlocks Blood Release, then I shall put together a team of Sound Ninja to perform a covert operation to retrieve my little celebration gift to myself. Otherwise, when I get my arms back, we'll go after her... in due time."

Kabuto put one arm under her knees, and the other under her back, supporting her in a way that was formally known as the princess hold. He stepped forwards, and turned back to look at Orochimaru, but Orochimaru had already left the room. Kabuto scoffed.

~

Chichi stalked through the back alleys of the town until finally, she found Rena curled up in a ball in one of them. However, whoever Rena had been fighting was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he had escaped or ran away; not like Chichi cared. "Hey, Rena, wake the hell up!" Chichi put both of her hands on Rena's shoulders and shook as hard as she could. Rena's response to this was to shoot up, and with a nice, solid crack their foreheads connected. Instantly, both of their hands shot up to their foreheads as they dealt with the resulting pain.

"Where am I?! Where's Orochimaru?!" Rena jumped to her feet, grabbing a kunai in her hand and spinning it in her palm, finally catching it by the ring that was on the not-sharp end. Her guard was up; she shifted, her eyes moving around the battlefield.

"Orochimaru? What do you mean, Orochimaru? You have some weird dreams, don't cha? Also, Sansa is gonna give you a mouthful when she finds out that you lost... Anyways, we've all been searching for you, idiot. You gave us all a scare."

"I've been... wait, what about the thing that pierced that one guy?!" Rena was now on to another topic entirely; Chichi just couldn't keep up. Rena winced, stumbling forwards; Chichi quickly caught her. Her eyes trailed down to a large bruise on half of her leg; it was obvious how she'd been defeated.

"Pay more attention to your condition, idiot." Chichi slid her arm under Rena's, allowing Rena to lean against her for support while making sure she didn't put her entire weight on Chichi. "The more of an idiot you are, the more I have to take care of you."

Chichi didn't mind, but what she did mind was... well, instead of Rena relying on Gaara... she wanted more than anything to be the pillar that supported Rena where Gaara couldn't.

~

Sansa tightly pulled the bandages around Rena's leg into a snug wrap; meanwhile, Gaara leaned against the wall, his hair blowing in the gentle desert breeze. Rena had to look away, feeling slightly scared and uncomfortable... not because he was staring. No, she was used to that, as he always stared. It was because of the intensity behind his stares. She could tell he was blaming himself for even the most minor of injuries on her body, beating himself up for everything that had gone wrong. To some, his gaze was ice cold and emotionless. To others, it looked like he was about to kill her. To her, it was a look of absolute self-hatred and suffering.

Rena was a little worried; Gaara had shied away from her before because of emotions like this. This was their weak spot, the thing that could wreck their relationship. Now that they were closer, she knew the little things that bothered him, and now, she would try her best to reassure him. Sansa stood, done wrapping the bandage. She had done it tightly, almost numbing Rena's leg.

"Okay, Rena. I applied healing ointment and wrapped the bruise; it was pretty bad, but I think it's taken care of well enough. It should be fine by tomorrow, so we'll leave then. Just make sure not to put too much stress on your leg." Sansa had an amazing amount of knowledge in the field of medicine; it was strange, because Rena couldn't remember Sansa ever learning it from someone. The dark shadow that was supposedly her mother crossed her mind; no, that person wouldn't have taught Sansa. Medical Ninjutsu required a gentle, almost lovingly touch. That person could manage nothing more than destruction.

Rena struggled to her feet on her own, and managed to stand. It was still numb, but that was just an effect of the medicine to prevent reaction to pain. Kyo's mother entered the room, her eyes devoid of anything recognizable.

"Kyo..." She whispered hoarsely, her voice filled with pain, "Kyo's body was found on the outskirts of the town." Her eyes were startlingly empty, and Rena had a feeling that she'd never see the woman who once worked so hard to keep her inn alive again. "They told me wild animals killed him. He was torn to pieces, but they recognized his clothing." There was an unsettling silence in the room; you could've heard a pin drop with the amount of tension there was. "The funeral is tonight. Please come." Her footsteps echoed through the empty halls as she stopped in the door frame, turning her head back to look at everyone in the room ever so slightly. "My boy had done nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all. He barely left the town; he never would've gone towards the desert. He hates heat. Whoever murdered my boy... I hope you find them, and kill them. Make them suffer."

With that, she left. Rena was doubtful that she'd ever see Kyo's mother again.

Sansa turned to the three genin, her mood now solemn. There was nothing she could say to lighten the mood. "Chichi and I will go get appropriate attire for the funeral; Rena, you go with Gaara and get the appropriate flowers to accord with the mood." She grabbed Rena's wrist, lowering her voice. "Do not let Gaara pick anything. I swear to god, I don't want him to be pointing at grey clothes for a funeral; I don't trust his fashion sense. Such is the reason why you're picking out the flowers; but knowing him, he'll be choosing pink roses."

Sansa pushed Chichi out of the room, who seemed to be in a continuous state of mental shock, as if she was unable to process the idea of another funeral. Even if it seemed like it wouldn't affect her, all that death had to take a toll on her sometime. Her entire life had been about death, so Rena didn't really blame her. Chichi followed Sansa, with delayed movements. Sansa still had to push her around, but Chichi was slowly coming back to her previous consciousness.

Rena turned to Gaara, and held her hand out to him. He took it, silently. He understood what she meant; conversation wasn't appropriate at the moment. They walked, hand in hand, out of the inn. All the while, the dark shadow watched both of them, raising one eyebrow. This is the exact thing she had told the girl to avoid; trained the girl to avoid. Hadn't she learned from the last time? Then again, it wasn't exactly her experience. Perhaps she'd learn from it this time, though, until they repeated the cycle all over again. For a family that was so timeless, a lifetime worth twenty years wouldn't be much. She'd get over this one.

Then, Rena opened her mouth to speak. The shadow's attention was almost obsessive, hanging on the words yet to escape her lips. "Three." This caused the red-haired boy to turn to her, his clear eyes showing no sign of understanding yet no sign of confusion. How could she be with someone like this, someone unpredictable? He would have been a perfect assassin if he were to marry into the Hikari Clan. Unfortunately, such was not the case. The Hikari Clan was long destroyed and she would just have to remake it again, and this frail-looking child would not make the cut. He was much more favorable when he was filled with bloodlust.

"Three what...?" His eyes were a turquoise color; she could see her daughter's interest in this boy, as he was certainly more unique than any she had seen her daughter take an interest in before. Unique, however, did not mean strength. For sure, the boy could potentially grow into a very, very attractive suitor, but if Rena was truly the daughter that had been raised of Hikari blood, then she'd choose skill over appearance. The more predictable the man was, the easier it was to control him. She had made sure her daughter had been taught the rules of finding a suitor. Was she ignoring all of them blatantly?

"I've been counting, Gaara, three of them in the past two months. When will all of these unnecessary deaths stop? Your father, a teammate, someone who could have grown to be a friend. Am I a curse? Could something be targeting all of these people who are important to both me and others important to me? What if you're next?"

"Do not blame yourself for this. This is the life of a ninja, and death is involved around every corner. All who are involved knew the risks. It could be me, but it won't be." He gently put both of his hands on either of her cheeks, cradling her face lovingly in his hands. His touch was gentle against her skin; a reassurance she thought she would never feel again from his hands. He wasn't too warm, but not too cold, either. She leaned into his touch, her heart beating in a steady rhythm.

They reached the flower store. As expected, Gaara picked out pink roses. Although he was an amazing shinobi, his kunoichi skills weren't up to par, although Rena's weren't much better. Luckily, the owner of the store had exactly what they wanted; white lilies. He knew what they were there for, as nobody had bought anything but lilies today, and he was almost out of stock.

As they got back to the hotel, Rena fumbled with three of the lilies, while Gaara held another in his hand with a blank look across his face. They said nothing, but Gaara turned, gripping his lily tightly. Rena would hand the others to Sansa and Chichi.

He walked down the hall and disappeared into his room, ready to be alone and simply think.

Rena entered her own room; after putting the lilies on the table, she flopped down on her bed, exhaling softly. She was done with missions for a while; she wanted a break. The sound of the door to her room sliding open caused her to shoot up, her kunai in her hand. The weird dream about Orochimaru had her more on guard now.

However, she had no reason to be alarmed, as it was only her sensei, Sansa. Sansa slid the door shut carefully and turned to her, the look on her face sullen. "There's a few things we need to speak of."

"Is it another lecture...?" Rena whispered, ready to bolt for her life. Sansa sighed, annoyed, but then let out a chuckle.

"Why would I waste my time lecturing you? Nah." She cleared her throat, which meant she was preparing for some motivational speech to make Rena feel better. "Look, child'o'mine. Whatever you do, someone's always gonna disagree with it. Whatever path you take, at every turn, someone is gonna be there telling you you're wrong. There's always conflict in this world that makes you doubt yourself and want to believe what they're saying is true so you can just give up and go home. You don't have the heart of a ninja, kiddo, you have the heart of a warrior. Peace is hard to attain without sacrifice, but you're the type of person who can make that sacrifice. Don't think the tears you shed for another are a sign of weakness; they're a sign of courage, of true strength. I'll beat the shit out of anyone who says otherwise." Rena was speechless as Sansa awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to the other; Sansa scowled. "Gah, I'm outta here before this shit gets sentimental."

Sansa ripped open the door and shut it hard behind her, probably waking up anyone who was napping. Rena stared at the door for a minute before bursting out into laughter, rolling from side to side. Tears of happiness dripped from her eyes as she literally busted a gut.

"You always cheer me up, Sansa." She fell into a deep, refreshing sleep, despite the events that had come to pass. She had other people to protect, and she'd try her hardest to stop them from following any of the others' fates.

~

Gaara's turquoise eyes stared at a particular spot on the ceiling as he heard a ridiculous amount of laughing coming from Rena's direction. He shot up, more than prepared to go check it out, when Sansa entered the room.

"I never expected myself to ever walk into your room with something to say to you that was in no regard related to the mission. Anyways, anyplace I can sit?" Sansa lit a cigarette, and Gaara simply moved his eyes to an empty chair. She walked in, sitting down lazily and blowing the smoke out of her mouth. Gaara patiently waited, but Sansa said nothing for a good seven minutes.

"Was there something you needed, Sansa?" Gaara murmured, clearing his throat. This entire situation made him uncomfortable.

"Alright, so you may be my step-kiddo someday, or whatever you are. But there's something we gotta talk about and something you gotta realize, Gaara." Sansa refused to break eye-contact with Gaara; her ice-cold stare bore into him, causing immense discomfort. "I have a shitload of info and a lot of ass-moving advice, but this will have to do for now; kiddo, stars can't shine without darkness. In the end, we only regret the chances we don't take. If you don't chase after what you want, you'll never have it. Don't ask, idiot, because the answer will always be no. If you don't step forwards, you'll always stay rooted in the same place. Kid, I'm rooting for you; if you can find out what all of this means, then you can be Kazekage. The path won't be easy but the reward will be satisfying."

Sansa stood, leaving behind a bewildered Gaara. He didn't know what to do, but he sunk into his bed, staring at the ceiling. What did it mean? What did she mean by it? His mind went to Rena. Would she become as cryptic as Sansa? He should learn how to solve riddles just in case.

In the meanwhile, he was exhausted. There was no reason in particular; he was just tired. Perhaps it was of death, the thing he had once loved. He had no reason to love it anymore, though.

There were people who loved him, and who he loved back.

Sansa easily made her rounds, first to Rena and then to Gaara. Last of all was Chichi, who would be slightly more challenging. Her behaviors and her loneliness were much deeper than Gaara's. Sansa stood outside of Chichi's door, the look on her face grim. Chichi reminded her more of herself than anyone else.

Sansa burst through Chichi's door without knocking, plopping herself down on a couch and putting her feet up while kicking off her shoes simultaneously. Chichi looked quite annoyed. Sansa kept sighing and taking deep breaths until Chichi decided to acknowledge her.

"Do you want something, Sansa?"

"You're on my consolement list."

"I don't need your bullshit advice."

"You don't always need a plan."

"And you give me your bullshit advice anyways." Chichi murmured under her breath, rolling her eyes and sitting on the couch opposite to Sansa. She might as well get this over with now, so Sansa would go away and stop bothering her already.

"Sometimes, you need to just breath, trust, let go of yourself and rely on others, to see what happens." Sansa then stood up, facing the door away from Chichi. This caused Chichi to remarkably perk up and become almost cheerful.

"Are you done?" She asked, eager and almost at her limit for dealing with bullshit advice.

"No." Sansa said flatly, and Chichi's face fell. "Chichi... if plan A doesn't work," Chichi was now on the edge of her seat, her interests peaked. Perhaps Sansa would have something useful to say this time. "The alphabet has twenty-five more letters to go by." Chichi whipped her pillow at Sansa and began to throw anything that wasn't bolted to the floor. "Get out! I thought I could listen to you, you old troll, but you never change! Aaargh!" Sansa quickly ran for the door, leaving her shoes behind. She didn't want to risk going back for them. As she slammed the door shut, she listened for a few seconds before a snort-laugh erupted from behind the door. A thump signified Chichi hitting the floor as the laugh became more hysterical. Looks like it worked, Sansa thought, a gentle motherly smile crossing her face. These kids were the future, and she wouldn't allow their problems to hold them back.

Rena's problem lies in her past;

Gaara's problem lies in the present;

Chichi's problem lies in her future.

All three had separate problems relating and facing different timelines. Sansa knew everything about Rena's past, including the things that haunted her even to this day. Her father had taken the Kekkai Genkai fit for an angel, as the wings were so named and preened after. Unfortunately, there was no chance they would grow back. They'd need to address that problem if possible.

Gaara himself faced all three, if Sansa was being honest. The pressure of his future, his wishes and goals, to be more specific. But right now, in the present, he faced his greatest trial, righting the wrongs and apologizing and making it up to thet many families whom had lost their relatives to his sand. Redemption would not be an easy path for Gaara; nobody would make it easy. The path to Kazekage was long and winding, but Sansa knew that she could potentially make Rena into a good companion, giving Gaara a better chance and changing Rena into a wise sage. Rena would always stay by Gaara's side.

Chichi had a more prominent, difficult issue. One of Chichi's greatest issues were her fear towards the uncertain future; she could die, choosing to fight rather than run because of her latest changes. She was terrified of what was to come, so much that she had even created detailed plans for every situation she could think of. Sansa let out a small sigh, knowing Chichi would be difficult to help all the way through. However, Rena had managed to reach her, despite the fact Sansa was bewildered how. But a more pressing issue, who would ever take a step forward and love her the way Gaara loved Rena? Not many people were willing to work with someone for that long.

Even with all of their problems, Sansa still had her own objectives. Who would she place first? Who needed her help the most? Rena's past would catch up with her in due time. Gaara's present wouldn't be dealt with quickly, because only he could show people his true colors. Chichi had trust issues which would take years to resolve. Sansa came to a realization, almost as quick as lightning. With Rena, she would be a sturdy shield that defended her from the past whenever it came knocking. With Gaara, she would give him support in any way possible until he achieved his goals and became the Kazekage. With Chichi, her main priority, she would teach her to trust in others and believe in the strengths of working together. However, Marionetta had the makings and the skill to be the next head of the Sand ANBU. Cheshire could potentially be a great medical ninja, perhaps greater than the slug queen or their esteemed elder Lady Chiyo.

As for herself, Sansa didn't know what to do. She sulkingly looked at her nails. The next time she walked through the entrance of the Hidden Sand, she'd be branded a temporary replacement Kage that wouldn't even be a whisper in the history of the Sand. She wouldn't be remembered with a statue. But such was the way of the Sand; for her village, she would die. She didn't mind protecting it even if nobody cared about her in the end. She could at least do that much until Gaara was ready.

My dear Elliel, how are things recently?

I know I never think of you or talk to you in my head anymore.

You once were a great teacher, beautiful and strong.

Your child will become equally so.

Not brutally, this time. I will raise her with love and kindness. We'll have an actual family.

We'll be together until death do we part.

This is the child I have given my everything for.

I have no regrets.

Everything I have done up until now has been for that girl's well-being.

That will never change.

Elliel, do you see her now, the one you loved so much as to not get involved with her?

The girl you ordered me to escape our burning, decaying world with.

The girl you ordered me to protect and love?

You had raised us to be ruthless, but despite that, I loved her from the very beginning, even going as far as to name her.

She's grown, Elliel.

I'm so sorry that you weren't there to see it with your own eyes.

It must have hurt, to see her in that arena.

You truly love that girl, don't you?

You refuse to approach her directly because you know it would hurt her. You know they would find her and hurt her.

She wouldn't understand, but I do.

You're ruthless because you love her.


	16. Sansa, The Kazekage Replacement

It was early in the morning when Gaara, Sansa, Chichi and Rena left the town for the Hidden Sand. They were not eager to run into any of the townsfolk before they left, lest they talked about the funeral. The sun was just barely in the sky when they finally reached the desert's plains.

Sansa, Chichi and Rena were telling ridiculously corny jokes the entire way home, more close than ever before. It seemed like Sansa had worked wonders on everyone, while Gaara was simply musing and looking deeper into the jokes than he needed to. The mood was perfectly bright; everything was back to normal. Even the birds seemed chipper today, despite yesterday.

"So technically, this guy was all in my face about me being a ninja, so I socked him pretty hard and then walked away." Chichi was between laughing hysterically and telling her story. Sansa was trembling, attempting not to laugh.

"That's one way to defend your honor." Gaara murmured, staring at the ground. He had been lost in a world of thought since they left the village, almost not participating in the conversation at all. He was neutral to everything, and on nobody's side. Rena glanced at him, a look of disdain crossing her face.

"Don't you ever laugh, Gaara?" Rena raised an eyebrow, stopping to talk to him. Gaara simply stared back at her with his turquoise orbs. They were locked in a contest; the first to look away would be the one to lose.

"I am thinking about something."

"Is that all you're gonna say?!" Rena was shocked at the fact Gaara would say so little about what he was thinking about. He seemed to be withdrawn, although he had been as open as he possibly could during this mission.

"Stars can't shine without darkness..." Gaara muttered, under his breath. Rena raised an eyebrow, but didn't question him. After all, there wasn't much to question. Rena knew Gaara would tell her whatever he was thinking about on his own time.

You sure, doll?

She almost audibly gasped, but stopped herself, stilling her fast-beating heart. The voices in her head had given her quite the fright, but she had to be strong. She couldn't let on that this was happening to her, otherwise Sansa wouldn't let her go out on missions. She knew it had something to do with the memories Sansa had been keeping from her; the things that Sansa thought she didn't know. The presence in her blood began to fade, but she knew it was there, ready to mock or fill her with doubt.

She slowed, behind the others, kicking a rock in her path to the side. Gaara was deep in thought, so he didn't notice, but simply kept walking on.

"What do you want?" Rena whispered, figuring that the time to get answers to her questions being now. "I need to know who you are."

What, little ol' me? I'm just Akira. I'm going to kill you someday. That's all there is to it, little girl. Not much else.

"Why me?" She hissed, and the desert seemed to get twelve times colder.

Be careful about the way you talk to me, meat-sack. I'm as good as a god when my strength returns, and I can make arrangements to have all of your friends burn right in front of your eyes.

Rena shivered, even though she knew the coldness was only an illusion. Who was Akira? Why did he want her dead?

Who and why aren't relevant. You just need to know that you deserve it.

"I don't understand at all."

You don't need to understand, because everyone in your family hates you, and you're on borrowed time.

With that, Akira's presence disappeared, withdrawing deeper inside her subconcious. Her troubling thoughts were interupted by Chichi, who exclaimed, "We're here! We're finally here!" Chichi smirked, picking up speed and running towards the gate, but four shinobi appeared in front of the gate to the village. "Oh, fucking hell! I've done something illegal again, haven't I!? I was framed!" She ducked behind Sansa, trying to fit behind her petite frame in an inconspicuous way.

"Kazekage. We did as you ordered and announced the change of positions after you left. The Elders would like to call an Elder Council, as they want to re-establish trade routes as quickly as possible and fix the damages between our treaties."

Rena's eyes widened, and her head turned towards her mother. Rage boiled in her veins as she realized that the shinobi was talking to her mother. Sansa's eyes flickered to Rena, and she stepped forwards.

"Good. Prepare the meeting hall. Prepare the birds; we will be sending message birds to most, if not all, countries that are willing to accept our apologies. We will be discussing the content of these messages at said meeting; get another shinobi to prepare the ink and the scrolls."

The shinobi disappeared, setting out to complete the tasks that his Kazekage had given him. Sansa took a step forwards, more than prepared to follow.

"You didn't even tell me?" Rena snarled, stepping up to talk to Sansa, who sighed in annoyance.

"I don't believe I need to tell you everything that's going on in my life." Sansa turned away from Rena, continuing to walk forwards. Rena followed her.

"I would think that as a part of your family, and this village, that you'd at least even tell me you got the offer to become Kazekage!" She shouted, flinging her arms into the air. Sansa gave her a glare.

"As a Genin, you should stand down. That is an order, Rena Hikari." Her face was tight; she was not smiling, and neither was Rena.

"How long have you known that they chose you as the next Kazekage?" Sansa did not answer, but she did stop. Rena tried again, more forcefully. "Sansa," She barked, "How long have you known?!"

"A week after the Kazekage was murdered."

Rena's face twisted into a foul rage-fueled expression. "And you couldn't say something? Give us a heads up?"

"I am doing what I need to for my village. Believe it or not, there are more things important to me than you. I had to deal with you being gone in a certain way; I did that by being loyal to my village. My loyalties should not change because you have returned; in fact, they will remain the same." Sansa turned on her heel.

The secrets that she kept made Rena very upset; secrets were the entire reason they...

What...?

A searing, white-hot pain thrust into her head, and she collapsed to the floor...

You're... ally... beg... remem...ber...

The voice of Akira filled her head, but it was broken... as was part of the wall mental hiding her memories of their past.

_____________________________________

Twenty Four Years Ago

She was speeding through the woods. The enemy Shinobi was following; he was gaining on her. Rena looked behind her at the red-haired puppet master, who seemed to be interested in catching up.

"Come back, come back! I'll make you part of my collection!" Rena's hair flowed in the wind as she picked up the speed; she knew that if he caught her, something bad would happen. "I've never seen jutsu quite like yours, nor have I seen someone with the likeness of your appearance.That headband around your arm; where do you come from? I haven't seen it before... nevermind that! Let me catch you!"

His insanity was clear; Rena had only been stalking along the borders of the Hidden Sand, eliminating the Kage warriors who followed her. She accidentally happened to cross this man's path, who had watched her fight from a safe distance. When she had entered a small village to stock up on food, he slaughtered them all, and began to chase her.

She had no interest in the massacre of innocents anymore, for she used to be the same as him.

She sped into a thorn bush, squeezing through a small hole in the wall of a cave. The man stopped, and looked at the bush in disdain; with his bodily size, he would not be able to fit, even if he were smaller than most males.

"You've escaped me this time, girl, but I will hunt you down." The tone of voice he held showed that he wasn't lying; Rena knew that his words were true. They would come face to face someday; the beast inside of her was pining for a fight, almost completely consuming her eyesight. She looked back, but took off, and the man's eyes watched her the entire time. He made no move to get over the rocky crevasse beyond the thorns, and no move to leave. When he felt she was out of earshot, he lowered his voice and glared menacingly in the direction she had run to. "Until then, I will make little mock puppets of you out of wood so you are always fresh in my memory; and to practice, so I may not even chip a bit of your finish. Someday, you will be my target, and I, Sasori of the Sand, will make you into one of my main puppets." He turned on his heel, slowly walking back towards the Hidden Sand. He had a lot more 'soul searching' to do; he needed more puppets for his collection. She would join them in due time, but until then, he needed to expand. Think bigger.

Rena continued down the narrow, rocky path, and winced when a sharp part of the rock cut through the small of her back. She knew that this was neccesary; even if it did hurt to get even this far. The rocks needed to be sharp. It was a warning.

Pain, pain, more pain ahead.

Not welcome here.

Finally, the end of the narrow pathway. It opened into a meadow. She stepped into the open, and moved her finger slightly, directing the blood in her body to clot and stop the blood coming from her pain. The pain stopped as she healed the wound. She breathed, taking in the smell of the flowers that grew there naturally. It always rejuvinated her after a hard battle, but the battles were necessary if she were to keep this place, herself, and Sansa safe.

"You're finally back." Sansa stood from the log she had been sitting on while crafting sharp, wooden kunai. "Took you long enough. You do realize that both of your brothers are hunting you, right?"

"I had to scout out the area. I ran into some Kage troops, ended up getting into a fight; It's fine, I didn't run into Madara or Luna."

"You didn't run into them? Well, that's a relief. Now, let's imagine if you did. You ran off without speaking to me first! I worry!"

"Well, I'm sorry that I'm trying to keep this place safe!"

"Your mother is dead, Madara and Luna are looking for you and the Kage know the area we are in. You are the last remaining Hikari and there is still a bounty on your head placed by the five Kage because of the bloodshed you caused. You're in the bingo book, Rena. Not only that, but the Hikari Ritual succeeded," She glanced at the corpse Rena had brought her, "I'm practically useless for a good one-hundred years."

"Oh, stop whining. It didn't take up all of your chakra; you're still at the power level of an ANBU. Even if it took almost all of your chakra, I still have mine. I can cut all of my hair off and dye it; I can live out a normal life, find love, and die normally. I can finally hide from all of the things the Hikari clan has done!" Rena slammed her fist against a tree, creating a small indent. More than anything, she wanted a life where she was free of the curse that was the Hikari name, free of the unforgivable things she had been forced to do.

"Well, child, you're about to learn a thing or two. Your part in all of this is not yet finished. You can't die until it's over, and the darkness inside you won't let you die, like I won't." Sansa crossed her arms, leaning against the tree and giving the best glare she could muster.

"It is over. The clan is dead."

"The Kage clan lives, and they are a branch of the Hikari. Your brothers still live. Unless Akito and Minami are reunited then it will never be over."

"Who the hell are Akito and Minami?! I've been told, my entire life, to never reunite them! Why is that changing now? Who are they?!"

"They are the founders of the Hikari and the Kage. From Akito, the Hikari were born, and from Minami, the Kage branch was born."

"They are definetely long dead, then! How do you expect me to reunite people who are six feet under?! Dig up their graves?"

"They are not dead, only lost."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Am I supposed to be able to decipher that?"

"You are. That's what makes you unique to the Hikari clan. The brother and sister are lost, not dead. There's a big difference."

"Why are you here, Sansa? You do realize that I am not your true blood, right? The Hikari thrived off of snatching babies from their cradles and raising them to be mindless slaves in our armies. Those who were Hikari were revered. Why did my mother choose you? Of all people, why you to be my guardian if anything went wrong?"

"Because your mother trusted me."

They were silent for a moment.

"I want no part in this." Rena whispered. "I want to leave this tainted bloodline."

And the meadow was set ablaze.

"I can help with that, sister." A deep voice and blazing red eyes pierced her very core.

Madara stood before them.

**____________________________________**

**The current timeline {No spoilers, based on what you know. Will be more when more things are revealed}**

**Madara killed the Hikari 30 ME**

**Madara killed Rena 44 ME**

**Sansa came to the Sand village 45 ME**

**Rena/Gaara {re}born 46 ME**

**Madara died 49 ME**

**Gaara & Rena met 50 ME**

**Rena is kidnapped 57 ME**

**Gaara goes crazy 57ME**

**Rena and Gaara reunited 63 ME**


	17. Forgive and Forget! Rena, Upset?!

Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara were taking a morning stroll in the village before their duties needed to be performed, with Chichi's team fast behind them, having returned from a mission. Chichi had been trying to get away, while walking towards Gaara. Her team was angry about something, making it the normal conversation between then; Yukari and Unmei were not the nicest people.

"Yukari, stop being such a pushover! Tell Chichi she isn't getting anything!" Unmei snapped, while Yukari protested.

"Unmei, she did her job this time, and she needs rent-"

"I don't care if the bitch needs rent! Maybe if her parents weren't lowlives, they'd still be alive and she wouldn't need to make her own living! The reason why she's a thug is easy; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Unmei glared in Chichi's direction, clearly vengeful of almost having died because of Chichi's actions.

Chichi, however, shrugged. "I may be a thug, but at least I'm not an attentionwhore."

This left Unmei speechless as Chichi jogged up to walk beside Gaara. Admittedly, she didn't like him, but she did promise Rena (silently, in her head) that she would try harder to get along with him, and she kept her promises, regardless of how much of a thug she was.

"Hey, Gaara, I'm heading over to see Rena. She didn't go home last night." Kankuro turned to Gaara, a serious look on his face.

"Where is she?" Gaara's attention had been caught; when it came to Rena, he worried regardless of what the situation was.

Chichi sighed and then coughed, then drooped her eyelids a little to make herself look bored. "She hasn't eaten or slept in two days; she's been training non-stop. I'm not worried or anything, but she's kind of been promoted to the 'Honorable Daughter of the Kazekage.'" Chichi gagged. She could only imagine the horrors of being called that.

Gaara looked to the Kazekage's building in the middle of the village square. He knew of the reason why Rena hadn't gone home; her reaction was terrible.

**Two Days Ago**

"Don't touch me." Rena wrenched her arm away from Sansa's grip and gave her a glare. Gaara couldn't understand, but he felt that Rena had wanted to be distant from Sansa more and more. "You were always a liar. You never cared about me."

Sansa turned to Rena, sighing. "Clearly, you think this is about you. Everything isn't centered around you, Rena. Someday, you will understand that what I am doing is for the good of the village."

Gaara and Chichi uncomfortably waited outside the room while the two argued.

"I was promised normal, Sansa. I've been robbed of my life. You promised me normal!"

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but your life isn't exactly normal. It will never be, as you chose the life of a shinobi. Meanwhile, the Hidden sand needs a Kazekage!"

"What about me?! Don't I need a mother? I was kidnapped and used for experiments!" When Sansa did not answer, Rena walked away, upset. Gaara did not follow her; he knew that at this point in time, she wanted to be alone.

**End**

Gaara crossed his arms, focusing on the ground. "She hasn't spoken to me since." Even if his voice was quiet, it could not hide his sadness. He wanted to talk to her, to help her, but he felt as if he would make it worse if he were to try.

"Gaara, let's go get some food before we go to see her... she's probably starving." Temari put a comforting hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"But I wanted to go see her alone..." Kankuro grumbled, annoyed that his siblings stole his idea. Gaara ignored him; he loved his brother, but his brother was a little...perhaps interesting was the correct word here.

Temari began to walk in the direction of their home, dragging Kankuro with her. Gaara followed silently, nodding to an indifferent Chichi and her extremely terrified teammates as he walked past.

~

Rena slipped, the kunai she was holding sliding directly into her arm. The blood dripped into the sand, and she pulled it out; the wound was deep, but she had more important things to do than sit in a hospital waiting for medical attention.

Images and memories were flashing through her head. Her real mother sitting on a throne. The first time this woman praised her. Sansa's betrayal. The first time she met Gaara. Her first massacre. Her brother. Tears were running down her face, and she couldn't stop them. She felt such profound pain; she was surprised she was still standing.

And then, a voice as clear as day. "Those aren't normal tears." Rena looked around for the source, but there was nobody there. If only she had looked above; then, she would've seen an older version of her crouching in the tree above, with even darker purple eyes that seemed to glow in the shadows.

The figure watched as her daughter wiped the tears from her eyes and found what the liquid truly was; blood. Rena dropped the kunai, and her hands began to shake.

What was this? Why was she crying blood?

"Rena?" A shocked voice asked, a presence that she hadn't known to be getting closer. She looked up, her eyes wide, to see a worried Gaara looking at her.

Her spleen exploded and she hit the floor.

**~**

"What..." The first voice she heard, although distorted, was definetely Sansa.

"Sick... blood, plenty of blood..." The second voice, Gaara. The voices were getting clearer and she could hear a little better now.

"This shouldn't be happening. I made a Jutsu to directly assure that this would not happen." Sansa squeezed a cloth, filled with blood, into a tub of water. "You stupid girl, you've been pushing against the wall! If it's a memory, there's a reason that it should be sealed away!"

"Are you going to tell us what that was at the Chuunin exams, now?" Baki came into Rena's view. There were a couple people in the room; Baki's team, and Rena's team. Sansa turned to Baki.

"Really? You're asking me this now?"

"What other time would there be to ask?"

"Lady Kazekage, we need you." An ANBU entered the room, holding two scrolls.

"I'm currently busy saving a life."

"We're about to reconnect two treaties. I suggest that you come and oversee this. The other Kage that are currently here will see it as an insult if you do not come yourself."

Sansa sighed, frustrated. She ran a bloody hand through her hair, then turned to the current most applicable people to save her little girl. "Gaara, Temari, Kankuro; do not leave her side. She can die without outside help; you don't know what to do, but just make sure that she's not bleeding from her damn pores. If you're not careful, she will bleed out. If she's pushed the wall enough, she should remember how to deal with this. She's bleeding out inside, so get her awake, keep her awake. You have to keep her awake!" Sansa flew out of the door, so she might return quickly to save her child. She couldn't keep two of the five Kage waiting. She had worked so hard to make these treaties happen in the first place.

Kankuro sat in a chair by the bed, his mood, at best, somber. "Is this really happening? Can she really be...?"

"Stop acting like she's going to die, Kankuro. She won't." Temari had to be strong for her siblings; Rena couldn't die. She lost her mother, she lost her father, but she wouldn't lose one of her close friends. There were so many people Temari hadn't said goodbye to before they died; Rena wouldn't be one of those people.

Gaara remained calm on the outside; for Rena, he'd act as if he were strong. Rena's eyelids fluttered open.

"I feel like shit." She struggled, sitting up with the help of Temari and Gaara. She placed a hand on her stomach. "I really feel like shit."

"What's happening to you, Rena?" Temari asked, holding her up.

"I don't know. I can't remember."

Marionetta spoke up. "Rena is going through the rebirth system; remembering the memories that had been sealed away for at least twelve years."

"Manipulative, I always wondered why she gave you her memories instead of me." Cheshire stood, balling his hands into fists. "Now I know why. You don't act on emotion like I do."

Marionetta glanced at him, having not heard her name since she was first created. She was older than Cheshire; when Rena had escaped, she had ran to the old Hikari ritual cave, where two guardians had been waiting to activate. Rena didn't remember, but the Black Cat did. After all, that was partly what Marionetta was. "Regardless, I have all of Rena's memories in case of emergency. She tends to break the wall quite a bit; her chakra cannot be held down forever. The mass amount of chakra she holds within her does not stay quiet."

"What do you mean, rebirth system?" Gaara stood from sitting on Rena's bed.

"Rena was reborn. I thought it was quite clear, since her mother joy-crashed the Chuunin exams. It is true, her entire clan was wiped out, but the Black Cat thought that he could preserve himself the best in this way; several members of her family are dead, including; her brothers on the Uchiha side; her father, one of her sisters, and her aunt and grandmother. Her live family includes; her mother, three of her brothers, and one of her sisters. The person who was promised her is also still alive, and hunting. He was also at the Chuunin exams, watching. I felt his presence."

"Rena was promised to someone?" Kankuro stood up, panicking. "It's not possible! Not my sweet Rena!"

"I can remember clearly now, Marionetta. His name was Kakuzu, was it not?" Rena grabbed her head, desperately trying to clear the pain from her head, the price of remembrance. "He... hunted my mother. A bounty kill was what it was supposed to be. My mother was not as strong as him back then, so, in exchange for her life, she promised me to him; a material prize. He agreed, but so long as he got his prize. When she rapidly got stronger, he refrained from going after me, but was waiting until I came to him."

"There are a lot of people after you, Rena."

Yes, that part of me is right. Unfortunately, it was also the part that cared for you, even the slightest. I was more than happy to rid myself of it. We have plenty of people to kill in our future.

The cat, as bright as day and as physical as anything, sat on her legs. Pitch black fur. This was Akito. She could feel its weight.

"Do you see that?" She murmured, pointing to the cat. Temari shook her head.

"Rena, only those with even a bit of the Black Cat's chakra can see it. Nobody except Cheshire, you, Sansa, and I may see it. No other living person has the taint of its darkness within them."

"What the hell is the Black Cat, anyways?" Rena stared it down, and it stared back, unmoving.

"It is pure Chakra, but if anyone were to compare it to something, I'd compare it to a tailed beast such as Shukaku. In fact, the seal used to seal it within you must be showing now." Marionetta moved forwards, flipping up her shirt. On her hip, a seal that looked like a tattoo of a Black Cat was moving. It was animate.

"What the hell is that?!"

"It shows the Black Cat's current mood, or location, inside you. The ritual to seal it was a little more powerful than it; the sacrifice was large, but it had to be created for the Black Cat. Your memories are not the only ones I hold. I do know more about the Black Cat, since he created my soul; he is more powerful than a tailed beast, and more bloodthirsty. He demanded a thousand deaths a month in his name. He ate at least five-hundred people a week. He is the reason why the Hikari raised children as if they were mindless cattle. Eventually, your mother had enough, and sacrificed ten thousand, an entire village, to make the Blood Seal. The Black Cat was gaining too much attention."

**And I would have continued to devour all of humanity, had I not been stuck in an adolescent fool's body! I will have the pleasure of killing that woman myself when I escape this meat-sack.**

"So you're saying that Rena is like... me?" Gaara's eyes widened. Never, in a hundred years, would he have expected that he'd live under the same roof as a jinchuriki. If that was what she was, of course. Gaara knew that it was different, but the circumstances were the same.

"Nobody must know that she has a monster like that inside her. If they were to know, it would cause mass hysteria; many would call for her death, as that would kill the monster inside her. However, somewhere, a place with a lot of suffering, there would be a chance for him to reform and roam the earth and kill as he pleases."

**As long as misery lives, I will live.**

"This thing has been speaking to me for a while now. It wants me to use the Chakra it holds, sometimes, but the smell..."

"It smells like death and rotting flesh, does it not?" Marionetta walked forwards, sitting on the bed. "When does it ask for you to use it?"

"Well," Rena threw a guilty glance in Gaara's direction, "Whenever I'm about to die."

"That makes quite a bit of sense." Gaara clearly wasn't happy about this, and nobody wanted to interrupt for fear of not hearing the whole story, but he stayed quiet. He knew that the first time must have been during the Chuunin exams, when he almost killed her. "What you remember is the numbers, Rena. All of the Hikari clan had to go through something alike to this to gain the use of Blood Style. Any child of the Hikari who refused the process was shunned and hated; over seventy percent of the children who were untrained for the process died, while forty percent of the children who had lived their entire lives training died. Those remaining were instantly placed on a training regimen directed by several Jounin and ANBU that were meant to break Jounin from other villages, otherwise known as torture. Rena's regimen followed the training schedule of an ANBU offical-in-training."

Gaara finally spoke, sick of hearing only Marionetta's voice. "What did they do to her?"

"Electrocution, mutilation, branding. They refrained from giving her food and water. She has a fear of fire, but only because her half-brother slaughtered her entire clan with it and then attempted to kill her, but she escaped."

Marionetta was like an encyclopedia of information, answering any questions they had for her calmly. Chichi, however, whom had been silent all this time, stood up.

"I think that we need to stop hiding things from each other. Tell us everything, Rena. Don't shirk on the details."

Rena chuckled hoarsely. She still felt terrible, but she knew, from her memory, there was worse to come. Much worse. "I guess that I'm just as bad as Sansa, huh? Well, one thing you should know from history books is that the Hikari Clan were basically hireable mercenaries. Whoever they sided with won the war; victory depended on the highest bidder. Well, my mother was basically the Hikari's Kage. She was a minor Kage, but still one, nonetheless. Blunt power had no appeal to her; she liked being hidden. The thing that you didn't know, however, was that I was next in line for the position of Kage. That never came to pass, because the night my brother killed my mother, Sansa and I were on the run."

"You were going to inherit, by blood, one of the most brutal clans in history?" Temari raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you aren't a sage, but you don't seem the type to slaughter an entire village just for the fun of it."

"Well, I was infatuated with the idea of my mother accepting me. It didn't even feel like I was inheriting it; I barely ever saw her in the first place. She was too busy killing anyone who got in her way to make time for me, so when I turned seven, she had me trained for complete obedience, and I was sent to slaughter my first village."

Gaara was shocked; his Rena, a murderer? Their paths were almost exactly overlapping, with few differences. She had killed before, for no reason, just like he did. His heart beat faster; perhaps, she understood why he had suffered even more now. No matter what she had done, he had done the same; he would not stop loving her, no matter how many bodies piled up in her wake.

"The Village Hidden in the Flowers."


	18. The Village Hidden In The Flowers

Rena walked forwards, her eyes showing no hint of emotion. Her feet brushed against the grass as morning dew slid from the leaves of the trees surrounding the flower field in which the children were playing. She looked around at the careless Shinobi children who were living in such a careless village in times of war. This village was the only one who refused to allow children under the age of twelve to fight in the war; and as her mother had said, that was a problem for their ranks. Mostly, the Hikari could buy their warriors cheap, or steal them from the battlefield, even. However, Rena wasn't here to steal them.

She was here to teach them a lesson.

"Show me your worth, child. Go, and slaughter." Her mother had sent her away with few words; these were the very first words they had ever exchanged.

Rena hesitated for a moment; these were children barely her age. The memories burnt an emblem in her mind like wildfire; she was recalling more and more of her memories blocked by the wall Sansa had made with her jutsu. Sansa's chakra wasn't even three quarters of what it used to be, however, so it was like a wall made of hay; easily burned through if you push enough.

The blood called for remembrance, to acknowledge what she did and what she must do. It was as if it had a mind of its own.

This was her first kill outside of the people she had killed to survive in the Hikari clan. Even though her body was in the Hidden Sand, her mind had wandered here. The child shyly handed her a wreath of flowers; he couldn't be more than ten or eleven years old. This was during the great ninja war, when bloodshed was one rank above peace.

However, every era had its antagonist. This era just happened to belong to the Hikari, and nobody else.

Her hand twitched; the child approached her, a wreath of flowers in his hands. As he placed it on her head, she hesitated again. Only momentarily. She raised her arm, puting a single finger to his forehead. He looked at her questioningly, as if to say, why? Is there something you gain from this?

Yes. What did you gain, she asked herself. Is there anything that you could possibly gain from this? Yes. She could gain her mother's love, approval, and respect. If she killed for her mother, her mother would love her. That was what she was getting from this.

She stopped hesitating.

A thin line of blood dripped from her fingertip, and sliced through the boy. The other children turned in surprise after hearing their friend's scream of pain and suffering. They were confused. She, lost. He fell to the ground, his head cracking off a rock. If he wasn't dead, then he was now. The color in his eyes faded, and there was nothing human there anymore.

Rena dropped her hand, and the other kids came running. Only seven years old, and forced to carry out this task. For the approval of a woman who didn't even love her. She raised her hand, sinking her teeth into her own flesh. She had felt this pain so much that she did not even bother to scream anymore.

She backhanded the closest child, whom was only five. Blood flowed out of the cut in her hand and went into the child's mouth, bleeding into his lungs. The child drowned in the blood of another; she bit her other hand and sent her blood flow after the children that scattered. They were screaming for help, crying, sobbing. Of course they were; their friends were just slaughtered in front of their eyes.

More blood splattered across the flowers, painting them red; there was not a single drop of purple amongst the crimson. She was careful.

She inched a kunai down from her sleeve, and slit her wrist; her blood came in droves, strangling some, drowning others and piercing most. All would die. There could be no survivors.

Her mother's voice rang in her head; not a memory, nor a current speech, but what she assumed she'd say about this.

This is all you can give me after I freed you from your training? Child slaughter? I want to see the fall of the hero, the defilement of the virtuous. You can give me more, child. More!

Rena was taking the happiness from these people. It made this place broken. It only became broken because Rena was involved. She existed to break and be broken, equally.

How pathetic; you can't manage a petty task such as mass carnage in less than thirty minutes? Useless!

Rena wanted nothing more than to please her mother. To that end, she would do anything, kill anyone. She wanted to be loved.

Meanwhile, in the Sand Village, where she slept, her friends surrounded her, hoping and praying and wishing for her recovery. It seemed as if her nightmare would never end, and as she clawed to get away, they held her down.

Disgraceful.

Another death, over and over, the same repeated actions; ripping people apart. Another scream. 

And the worst, by far, was Tei. The one who she had met while scouting the village, looking for weak points.

"I will find you. I will kill you. If you spare my life, I will spend the rest of it trying to kill you!" She spared him.

And she continued to slaughter in the endless field of flowers. 

There wasn't a single white flower left among the red.


	19. Recovery, No Forgiveness

Rena shifted in her sleep and stirred, finally awake. Her body was wracked with pain, but she knew the worst had passed. It had been three weeks since the start of her body's rebirth's, and Rena had been nearly comatose since the beginning. To her surprise, she had survived; she would live to fight another day.

All around her, however, were bodies. She gasped; had she unleashed her chakra and hurt everyone? Gaara's head was face down by her thigh. She worriedly checked for a pulse; a faint heartbeat. He was only sleeping. She sighed in relief. 

"You're awake." Gaara rose his head, staring at her, unblinking with those beautiful turquoise eyes of his. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Thank god, you're okay."

She nodded silently, and kissed him gently; it was quite awkward, what with their sleeping friends around them, but Gaara didn't care. A certain sibling stood to the side, waiting for the kiss to be over. When it went on for four seconds longer than he would have liked, he cleared his throat, which broke the kiss successfully. 

Temari stirred first, and when she saw that Rena was awake, she jumped on her, wrapping her arms around the purple-haired girl. She wasn't one for affection, but she deemed this a special case. "I was so afraid we were going to lose you again. We wouldn't have made it if you died." 

"Don't become sentimental yet, Temari; you still have that tomboy attitude of yours to hold." Rena winced as Temari brushed against a bruise while removing her hands. Temari would celebrate later, when she wasn't in a room full of people.

"It does not matter what you did in the past, Rena." Gaara grasped her hand gently, as not to hurt her. "I don't care. We don't care. We love you as you are; what happened all of those years ago does not matter now." 

Rena sighed, shaking her head. "It does matter, Gaara, as I am the heir to the Hikari Clan. Several people will remember me, if not my jutsu. These people will have had years more than me to grow strong and will most likely be hunting me down to kill me. If people knew I had been reborn, the Hidden Sand would be in grave danger." 

"Why?" Kankuro muttered, grimacing. He glared at the window, as if he were looking directly at the people hunting her. "Why the heck would they target you? That wasn't your fault. It was the you in a past life!"

"Unfortunately not. All of the memories that were sealed away by Sansa's jutsu have returned, which means so have I. I am much older than all three of you, but there are people who haven't aged a day. People who are still alive, and who knew my mother, and the man I mentioned before who had my hand promised to him." 

Temari frowned. "An arranged marriage? Don't they only do that with nobles, nowadays?"

"Yes, but back then, I was as good as a princess. I doubt he was happy to learn I had skipped the wedding day; I was promised to him before I was born. I have never met the man, but I know he is still alive, because a man that strong does not simply die." 

"You will never have to meet him." 

Rena looked at Gaara, who stood near the window with his brother with a completely calm look on his face. Rena wondered how he could possibly remain so calm. 

"I won't be taken yet. I'm not ripe enough, in his eyes. I'm too young at the moment, a more likely time would be around the age of sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen. At this point, he will stop observing from a distance and get involved. I died as a seventeen year old in my last life, a year before the aforementioned wedding." 

"Rena, I know this may sound insensitive, but how did you die?" Kankuro asked, turning to her with a somber look in his eyes. She froze up, but then relaxed her shoulders and took a deep breath.

"I was killed by my idol, my half-brother. I loved him so dearly; in fact, we were almost inseparable when he was not fighting in a war. He taught me how to fight in an honorable way, and I taught him how to make a wreath of flowers; not that he needed that information, of course. I miss him, even though he was... well. I'd rather not talk about him right now. Anyways, Sansa was near enough to start the rebirth jutsu, and she got away with it. My brother, if I don't recall, died a couple years after we settled in the Hidden Sand." Gaara felt jealous. Although it was only sibling love between the two, he still felt as if Rena loved her brother more than she loved Gaara, even though he killed her. However, he had developed a hatred just from the way she talked about him; Gaara would have hunted down this brother if he was still alive.

Regardless, Rena continued to talk about the old days, focusing on the happier memories she had to offer to them.


End file.
